


Wanderer in the Pub

by Neroavan



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Europe, M/M, Semi Never Went to Shiratorizawa, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-14 02:07:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 39,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10526634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neroavan/pseuds/Neroavan
Summary: Semi wouldn't stop wondering if saving the man at death's door - or on his doorstep - was a good idea. He wasn't exactly a good person, but he still would save a starving man. Maybe because he was a cook? Semi thought there was something more to it.Semi just wanted to be a good Samaritan at least once in his life, but perhaps that act could change his life completely.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work is unbetaed.
> 
> \---
> 
> EDIT: This fic inspired [Ask_The_Psychis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ask_The_Psychis) (Is it okay to call you Nat?) to make an [illustration](https://immmaghost.tumblr.com/post/168431552941/i-love-tendou-with-his-hair-down-or-in-a-ponytail). (It's not exactly of the fic, but hey, it still inspired them)

“Two English breakfasts coming up!” Semi shouted from the kitchen, alerting his waitress.

Semi was the both the owner and cook of the local town’s pub, ‘The Pub’, as he named with not a single drop of creativity. The only other employee of the small pub was a young lady called Anna.

“Yessir!” she said as she ran to the kitchen to get the meal. It was a busy morning; more people than usual ate there and Semi should seriously consider hiring more staff if the pub was going to be more popular from thereon. He didn’t expect to grow popular enough that people from other towns visited him.

“Mr Eita, Table Three asked for four orders of Eggs Benedict!” Anna shouted over the noise. Semi replied with a “Got it!” as he toasted the muffins and went on to cook eight poached eggs.

Semi had his hands full immediately in the morning. He should really go and hire more staff.

“Counter Seat Number Five ordered pancakes with extra chocolate syrup!”

“Alright!”

 

 

“Mr Eita, Nick Green said that he can help out during the holiday season,” Anna said while she mopped the floor during the pub’s quiet times after the wave of customers. They needed to prepare for another wave during lunch.

Semi took a long drag from his cigarette before saying, “Tell him I appreciate it. When can he start?”

“At lunch he can start helping you in the kitchen.”

“Good. Waiters?”

“Pamela Sanders and George Williams will both start tomorrow, Mr Eita.”

“Okay,” Semi sighed as let out a puff of smoke. “Now let’s hope nothing weird happens with this barrage of people. I’ve had enough of those drunkards during the New Year.”

“There were also locals mixed in-”

“Let me forget about them.”

 

 

The day was very tiring for Semi, even with about three years worth of experience running a pub. Running one in a quiet English countryside wasn’t what he had in mind when he set out for Europe with a culinary degree after graduating in Japan. He had hoped to go to France or Italy or Spain or etc except England. But there he was, living there after being stranded in a town in the Lake District with almost nothing left but the clothes he was wearing and everything he had studied.

Semi wanted to relax after the long day, and wondered why he remembered his early days there. He was about to unlock his cottage’s door, umbrella on one hand to protect him from the cold rain of autumn, when he noticed a figure moving in the dark near him.

Semi let out a surprised scream and dropped his umbrella when the figure spoke as he used his phone’s light to illuminate the place.

“H-Help me… please...” the figure said, its voice weak and soft.

While Semi wasn’t exactly a nice person, he wasn’t the type to abandon a helpless person, one that looked like they were starving, at Death’s door - or on his doorstep. Was it because he was a cook? No, there had to be something more to it. But anyways, he helped the figure onto his feet, before carrying the stranger’s bags that he was trying to protect from the rain. Semi noted how thin and weak the person was.

All the more reason not to abandon them.

He let the person sit on his sofa soaking wet, rushing to grab a towel from the bathroom while saying that he’ll be making soup to warm them up. Semi, thanks to his experience of cooking alone during rush hours, whipped up a warm meal to accompany the soup in record time, placing it on his center table.

_The person’s so thin - he mustn't have eaten anything for the past days_ , he thought as he tried to get the person - a man - to eat.

The man weakly held the spoon up to sip the soup. Semi helped him.

“I added mashed potatoes and sausages. Eat. I know you’re starving,” he said. The man looked at him, before increasing his eating speed. When he nearly choked, Semi gave him a glass of water and said, “Relax. I’m not going to take away your food. If you need more, I’ll make more. Just eat.”

The man continued eating. Semi noted that he had long red hair with a scruffy red beard and dark brown eyes. He had pale skin, Semi thought it was due to the cold; the man was drenched from head to toe. The cook could note some freckles dotting the man’s face. Semi also noted that the man was taller than him judging from when he helped him into his house. Semi wondered if the man was Scottish or something.

The stranger finished, and asked, “Can I have seconds?”

Semi chuckled. “There’s a lot more. Just wait a bit.”

“Thank you… What’s your name?” the stranger asked.

“Eita. Eita Semi,” the cook said from the kitchen. “That’s in Western order. I’m Japanese so it’s actually Semi Eita but y’know with my last name being Semi and all, I just become the subject of puns so…”

“Wow, you’re Japanese too?!” the stranger said, in Japanese rather than English. “I’m Tendou Satori, Eastern order.”

Semi’s lips curved upwards. It had been a long time since he talked in his mother language. He hadn’t talked to his family as of late.

“Should I call you Tendou-san keeping in mind our origins, or should I just call you Satori since we’re in Europe and all?”

“Call me whatever you want, but can I call you Semisemi? To have someone call you the Japanese way for once?”

Semi was irked as he set the food down for Tendou again. “Semisemi is not my last name.”

“I know. It’s a nickname,” Tendou said as he wolfed down on a sausage. “I like your food. It tastes like home.”

Semi choked back all the insults he was about to launch at Tendou. “I’m glad to hear it.”

Tendou gave him a thumbs up. Semi decided not to give the guy a derogative nickname.

“I’ll call you Satori since I got used to the Western way already,” he said as he lit a cigarette. He noticed Tendou making a face when he heard the click of a lighter. “D’ya mind it a lot if I smoke?”

“Ah sorry, I just hate cigarette smoke. Bad for your lungs,” Tendou said. Semi put out the cigarette immediately.

“Why? It’s your house?” Tendou asked in surprise.

“I don’t like making my guests uncomfortable,” Semi answered. He looked at Tendou’s glass before standing up. “I’m getting the pitcher for more water.”

“Thanks a lot, really.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it. It’s an act of goodwill.”

“You’re my angel, Semisemi.”

“Just eat.”

Semi, with nothing left to do, got a book to entertain himself. He wasn’t one to talk while eating. The food would just get cold.

“Semisemi,” Tendou said, making the host look up from his book. “What do you do for a living?”

Semi raised an eyebrow. “You first. Beware that I’ll chuck you out of the house if I found out you’re actually a bad person.”

Tendou laughed heartily. “No way!” he said. “I’m just a lil’ ol’ broke freelance photographer.”

“Oh? What happened to you?” Semi inquired.

“I forgot to withdraw money and I couldn’t find any ATMs. I couldn’t find any place that was open for part-timers either,” Tendou said. “And without money, I couldn’t find lodging so you found me on your doorstep.”

_Bingo, a homeless part-timer_ , Semi thought. His cottage was pretty big for himself; a gift from the townsfolk when he went and made their town more popular with his cooking years ago. Semi could afford letting Tendou stay for a while with his rent money being his help at the pub.

“Look, I’m the local pub’s owner. I can-”

“What?! Did ya name it?”

“Yes, what’s wrong with it?”

“It’s so uncreative!”

“Shut up fucker.”

“Wait wait, what were you saying about being the pub’s owner? Are you offering me work?”

Semi could finally talk business with the redhead. “Yes I’m offering you a part-time job.”

“Really? How much do I get?”

“You can stay here until you earn more money.”

Tendou pouted. “It’s a good offer, but can’t I get any money?”

Semi pondered about it. “I’ll do it under conditions that you don’t mess up there and my living space.”

“You’ve got a deal there Semisemi! What am I goin’ to do?”

“What can you do?”

“I can be a waiter! Though if you need help in the kitchen I can fry a mean egg.”

“Waiter that is. I’ve already got an assistant in the kitchen that can do more than frying a mean egg.”

“Wow thanks Semisemi! I really need the money to at least go to the city to get more money and you’re already doing too much for me.”

“Don’t worry about it, Satori,” Semi said as he cleaned up Tendou’s plates, declining the other man’s offer to do it himself. “You go rest. Sorry if it’s just the sofa, but I’ll make it up with blankets.”

“You’re a really nice person, Semisemi,” Tendou said while starting to nod off. Semi smiled at the sight.

“I’ll let you off this time, but don’t sleep immediately after eating,” he whispered as he helped Tendou lie down on the sofa, and also got some blankets and a pillow.

Semi looked once more at Tendou, noting his weary appearance.

_I’ll ask him more tomorrow_ , Semi thought. _Well, time to do the washing-up_.


	2. Chapter 2

Semi woke up to the sound his alarm clock blaring throughout his bedroom, the sound as annoying as ever but efficient in doing its job. He went to the kitchen to prepare his breakfast when he noticed a figure sleeping on his sofa.

 _Oh, I forgot about Satori_ , he thought.

He went over to him and tried nudging him awake. Tendou groaned and half-opened one of his eyes.

“Waka, spare me from the run. I don’t wanna get up,” he murmured, before closing his eye and turning away from Semi. The light haired man frowned.

“Satori, I’m not Waka and remember that you’re starting work from now on, so get up,” Semi said, his voice louder than before. Tendou still didn’t wake up. Semi decided to use his trump card and opened the curtains.

Tendou jumped awake. “W-Waka? Ah wait, you’re Semisemi!” Tendou exclaimed.

“Yes I am,” Semi judged him as fully awake. “Before starting work you need to shave first. You look horrible.”

Tendou scratched his chin, yawning. “Yeah, I’m reaaaally in a great need of shaving. By the way, you got gel?”

“What do you need it for?” Semi said without looking up from his cooking. “Also toast the bread while you’re still there.”

“Uh, styling my hair? I know it’s longer than usual but I always spike it up,” Tendou said while following Semi’s order.

“Ho? Sorry for you but I’ve got none,” Semi said as he put the eggs and bacon on the plate. Tendou groaned.

“It’s not me if my hair’s not done!” Tendou complained. Semi was the one who groaned this time.

“We’ve got like, just an hour left before I open up the pub for the morning wave, so just tie your hair up for the meantime,” Semi said while ignoring Tendou’s further complaints.

“By the way Semisemi, nice body you got there!” Tendou winked at him, whistling. Semi suddenly grew conscious about his body, forgetting that he was only wearing boxers.

“Mind your own business, idiot!” Semi shouted as Tendou laughed.

 

 

“Satori? Are you done?” Semi asked outside his bathroom, annoyed, wanting to know if the other was going to take longer. This time he was properly dressed. He heard a slightly muffled ‘Wait a sec!’

“Hurry up,” Semi said. The bathroom door flung open and nearly hit Semi in the face.

“There! All done!” Tendou cheered as he exited, the only piece of clothing on him was a towel tied around his waist. Semi tried to glare at him, but he didn’t.

More like he _couldn’t_.

Semi thought that Tendou would look pretty normal and average after he shaved and tied up his hair, only to be proven wrong.

Tendou was _cute_.

Well, his face was cute. Semi didn’t really find Tendou’s body to be impressive - he was very skinny owed to his starvation the past days - but his face was really cute. He wondered how he’d look like with his hair gelled up.

Semi tried to regain contact with reality by ordering Tendou to put on his clothes already.

“Sheesh, Semisemi, can’t you appreciate this fine bod more?” Tendou said.

“We’re running late. And no, your body’s not actually fine, twig,” Semi said.

Tendou pouted. “You should’ve seen me when I was in top form. I climb mountains, yanno!”

It perked Semi’s interest, but he decided that they were really running late.

“Tell me all about it when we finish work.”

 

 

“Hi Mr Eita, you arri- who’s that?” Anna asked her boss.

“I’m Satori Tendou, nice to meet you~!” Tendou said in perfect English, cutting off Semi before he could even open his mouth. Semi just sighed and nodded.

“What he said.”

“And?” Anna asked.

“He’s going to be a waiter. No more further questions,” Semi answered.

“Okay,” Anna said, but her tone implied she would ask later.

“Olololo? Why?” Tendou piped in.

“‘Cause it’s a bother. And we have our first customer right now and we haven’t even opened,” Semi said.

True enough, there was a young man already waiting.

“Ah, don’t mind me,” he said, nervousness lacing his voice.

Semi just raised an eyebrow before opening his pub. “What’re you so nervous for?”

The man gulped, before entering the pub like everybody else. “Uh, it’s not that much of a problem, so please don’t mind me.”

Semi decided to just do what the man said, as his insistence only made the man even more nervous.

Tendou, however, did the opposite.

“You’ve got something to do later and you’re nervous ‘bout it, riiiiight?” he said, the corner of his lips turning upward.

“H-How did you know?!” the man asked, surprised.

Tendou’s grin widened even more. “Intuition. Oh, and your actions. If you wanna get rid of that nervousness I’d recommend you to eat a good meal here! Semisemi here’s a cook that make you forget all about your worries!”

Anna chuckled at the way the redhead promoted the pub. Semi sighed.

“R-Really? I was right then!” the man said, eyes lighting up. Tendou gave him a thumbs up and continued chattering with him.

“Semisemi, huh? When did you meet him, Mr Eita?” Anna whispered to her boss as she took out the plates.

“Last night,” Semi said, heating up the stove. Anna looked at him, trying to stifle her laughter. Semi realized what his words implied.

“Ah no! You’re wrong! I saved him from death last night! I didn’t hook up with him!” Semi said, embarrassed. Anna chuckled at her boss.

“Mr Eita, you haven’t asked for the man’s order yet,” Anna said, reminding Semi and making him snap out of his embarrassment. “Also, I’d like to hear the full story later, can I?” Semi’s glare told her that she wouldn’t be able to hear it.

“Satori! Ask him for his order, will ya?” Semi shouted from the kitchen. Tendou replied with an enthusiastic ‘Okay!’

“One English breakfast and a cup of coffee!” Tendou said as he dropped by the kitchen. “Also, the young ladies that came by after asked for three servings of porridge.”

“Okay okay,” Semi said as he concentrated on his work.

The orders kept flooding in, with the three extra helpers arriving a little late.

“Next time, arrive _before_ I open the pub!” he said after the wave, irritated. All three apologized to him.

“Aww poor guys. Semisemi, you should be a little more delicate with them,” Tendou said in Japanese, after Semi sent the three away.

“They said that they’ll help and then they arrive late. What kind of help is that?” Semi replied in Japanese as well, glad to be able to vent his anger to someone without everybody understanding.

“Well well, that’s what you get when you lack staff. Hire full-timers, will ya?” Tendou said, wiping the plates that Semi had washed.

“I didn’t expect to grow this popular! I thought I could run it all by myself since the pub’s in a small town and all,” Semi replied as he washed more dishes.

“Oho? You forgot that you’re a very good cook?” Tendou broke out laughing, unable to believe what Semi had just said. Semi glared at him.

“Admit it Semisemi, you’re happy deep down, aren’t cha?” Tendou said, and Semi had to admit that he really had a point.

“Y-Yeah, I’m happy ‘bout it, but don’t tease me!” Semi said. “Anyways, I told you this morning that we’ll talk about your mountain climbing stuff, so do it,” he said, trying to divert the redhead’s attention away from him. The more he knew about Tendou, the better.

“Yeah yeah, I thought you’ve forgotten,” Tendou nodded, eagerness in his voice. “I climbed mountains to take pictures of the views, aside from my other pictures of other stuff.”

“And?”

“I sell them, I enter them in competitions, and I get money that way. My pictures are really good, you see, and they’re the very reason I ended up here.”

“Oh?”

“I haven’t visited the Lake District before, and I hadn’t got any clients at the moment so I took the chance and went here. Then I miscalculated how much cash should I carry on me and I barely survived, hence you finding me.”

Semi was amused by Tendou’s story. “So you nearly died because of a mere _miscalculation_? You weren’t robbed or anything?”

After Semi’s bouts of embarrassment earlier, it was now Tendou’s turn. He face turned completely red. “Y-Yes…” he croaked.

Semi burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. He even managed to choke on his own saliva. He was lucky that Tendou still had the heart to give him a glass of water even if he was the one being laughed at.

“How long have you been travelling, anyway?”

“Ever since I graduated from college? I got the money so…”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-nine. You?”

“Twenty-eight, but my birthday's late in the year."

"We're technically the same age then!"

"Perhaps we graduated at the same time? I graduated from a culinary school in Miyagi, you?”

Tendou was surprised. “No wonder why I had a familiar feeling! You’re from Miyagi too! I should’ve known it from the way you speak Japanese!”

Semi’s eyes widened. Maybe Tendou was someone from the same part as him?

“Which part of Miyagi are you from?” he asked Tendou.

“Sendai!”

“What?! I’m from Sendai too!”

“Really? I graduated from a university in Tokyo, so we couldn’t have been with each other in college, but primary school? Middle school? High school? Oh I know! I went to Shiratorizawa in high school, you gotta recognise that!”

_Shiratorizawa? Wait, Tendou Satori…_

“Were you in the volleyball team?” Semi asked, curious if he was remembering facts right.

“Yeah! I played middle blocker and I was teammates with Ushijima Wakatoshi himself! He’s my best friend!” Tendou said, proud of his former teammate. Semi could sense the fondness in his voice.

“So the Waka you mentioned earlier was him?”

Tendou looked at him, confused. “What do you mean?”

“When I woke you up, you mistook me for him and told me to spare you from the run,” Semi explained.

“Ah, that,” Tendou said, scratching his head. “In high school I used to accompany him on his morning runs even though he didn’t invite me. He got used to it and woke me up everytime he went for a run, even in college.”

“Roommates?”

“More like flatmates. We didn’t go to the same university, but we were pretty attached to each other a little too much that we decided to rent a flat instead.”

“I see. I admired Ushijima a lot, and I still admire him until now. I still watch all those matches with him participating.”

“A fan! So Waka has fans even in other countries! I gotta tell him the next time I talk with him!”

Semi felt like it was finally his chance to meet his idol.

“Satori, when exactly are you going to meet him again?” he asked, forgetting that he had already washed the glass for the third time.

Tendou scratched his chin, before answering, “I don’t really know when. I usually return to Japan on a whim, so it’s been like several months since I last saw him in person.”

Semi’s heart sank. Tendou must have noticed it since he added, “I still stay in touch with him though, and you’re a really nice person so I think introducing my saviour to his idol isn’t too much. That’s as long as you’ll allow me to continue using your wifi for free; I only found out about the password since it was on the fridge’s door.”

Semi brightened up, ignoring Tendou’s use of his wifi without permission.

“You’ll introduce me to him?”

Tendou nodded. “I can do it tonight. I usually chat with him when he wakes up to go for his morning run, so it won’t be anything unusual for him. I mean, when I checked my phone this morning I saw several missed calls from him and a lot of texts. Big guy was worried when I didn’t pick up, he said. I explained my situation and told him a lil’ bit ‘bout you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, he even said that he’d like to meet you.”

Semi couldn’t describe what he was feeling. He didn’t know if he was happy or excited or anything.

 _Ushijima Wakatoshi himself said that he’d like to meet me_ , Semi thought. He felt like he was on cloud nine.

“Uh but Semisemi, we’ll still have to deal with the waves of customers first, okay? I swear my laptop’s not going to run so I’d recommend that you stop washing that glass since it’s already super shiny and clean. Oh, and you’re wasting water and soap,” Tendou said, tapping Semi’s shoulder to wake him up from his daydreams.

“Sorry, I just can’t believe I’m going to be able to meet my idol. I never thought that I would be able to,” Semi said, a bit embarrassed.

Tendou grinned. “No worries! He’s my best friend and I can assure you he’s one of the nicest people in the world!”

Semi found himself grinning as well. He just blamed it on Tendou; his grin and lively mood was just contagious.

Perk number one of saving Tendou Satori: getting to meet Ushijima Wakatoshi (even if it’s just through a video call).

Semi couldn’t wait to finish work.


	3. Chapter 3

“Hello? Waka? You there?” Tendou said once he saw that his friend had answered the call. Semi waited anxiously beside him, unable to stop fidgeting and fiddling with his fingers.

“Just calm down, Semisemi! Waka’s not going anywhere! And also we’re in the countryside so of course the wifi’s not as strong as in the city!” Tendou whispered, getting annoyed.

Semi took several deep breaths to calm himself down. It seemed to work, until he heard the voice of the person on the other end of the line.

“Satori?” Ushijima’s deep and rich voice resonated from laptop’s speakers.

Semi’s breath hitched when he saw Ushijima’s face in the video.

Tendou was right with what he said about chatting with Ushijima before he went for a run; the pro volleyball player seemed like he had just woken up. Ushijima was rubbing his eyes and his hair was a mess. Semi couldn’t care less. It was Ushijima himself, and Tendou was going to introduce him, even though said idol was still in pyjamas.

“Heeeey Waka! How’re ya? I hope you’re fine, like always,” Tendou said, his tone even cheerier than Semi had ever heard in his one day and two nights with the man. Tendou was in a cheery mood the whole day, so Semi didn’t expect his mood to improve even more.

“I’m fine. How are _you_? And who is that?” Ushijima said.

“I’m alright Waka, and this one here is the saviour I’ve been talking about, Semisemi! Say hi!” Tendou said, gesturing at Semi with his hands.

“I’m not a dog Satori!” Semi retorted, before immediately clasping his hands over his mouth. He couldn’t believe it; he had just spoke angrily at his idol’s best friend right in front of him! Semi hoped that his first impression wouldn’t be bad.

Fortunately for him, it didn’t seem like that.

Ushijima had a tiny smile on his face, like he was used to people treating his best friend that way. Semi thought that he even looked _relieved_.

“With that I know that Satori’s truly alright… Semisemi?”

Semi could feel his cheeks reddening at his idol’s use of his unwanted nickname.

“I-It’s not Semisemi! My name is Semi Eita! Nice to meet you, sir!” Semi corrected, his voice a little bit louder than he had wanted it to be.

Tendou burst out laughing at his side, and Semi elbowed him in the ribs.

“I see. I’m Ushijima Wakatoshi, Satori’s best friend. I’m very grateful for your kindness,” Ushijima said, bowing his head. Semi became bashful of himself.

“Uh… you’re welcome! Though there’s no need to go as far as bowing to me, Ushijima-san,” Semi said, scratching his cheek and looking away from the webcam.

“It was my decision, and I’m truly grateful. Satori can be a handful sometimes, has he caused you any trouble?” Ushijima said. Tendou gasped, faking hurt.

“Waka! Is that how you really think of me?!” he said, continuing his act.

Ushijima looked at where Tendou’s face would be on his screen. “Not really, but the others think so.”

“Ugh… tell Kenjirou that I’ll have his head on a platter when I come back. And oh! Say hi to Tsutomu for me! Is he doing well there? Has he beaten you already?” Tendou said.

“I’ll have that noted. Goshiki hasn’t beaten me yet. He still hasn’t got a starting position, but he is now a regular on the national team,” Ushijima replied.

“Oho? What about the league? Is Oikawa still as annoying as ever?”

“Yes. But he corrects his act whenever we train for the world championships, so I have no complaints. Also, he said that Iwaizumi wanted to send you his regards. I think they were words of sarcasm though, and most probably something Oikawa just invented since Iwaizumi and you didn’t have the best relationship before.”

Tendou laughed heartily, and to be honest, Semi found it cute and endearing. Semi hadn’t heard Tendou laugh like that, despite all his bouts of laughter during the day while joking with his co-workers. He wondered if it was because of Ushijima.

“If it were true, then Iwaizumi still hasn’t forgiven me for all the times I blocked him in high school, huh? Tell him I give him my regards too,” Tendou said.

“I will. Is that sarcasm as well or…?” Ushijima said.

“Sarcasm. There’s no way I’ll truly give my regards to the guy who wanted to break my poor arms with his spikes in his high school,” Tendou snickered. “Though don’t exactly specify it was sarcasm.”

“I see. And is Semi-san alright? He has been quiet all this time,” Ushijima said. Semi nearly jumped in his seat.

“Semisemi? Were you stunned by Waka?” Tendou teased, poking Semi’s cheek.

“What do you mean by that, Satori?” Ushijima asked.

“You’re his idol,” Tendou said. He looked at Semi for affirmation.

“Yes!” Semi said even before Tendou looked at him. “It’s true that you’re my idol since middle school, and I’m just really happy to have met you, even if this is just a mere videocall. And please don’t call me Semi-san. Semi is fine.”

“I see. It’s nice to meet you too, Semi,” Ushijima said, before glancing at something. “And as much as I want to continue talking to both of you, I need to go for a run now. Perhaps we can talk again tomorrow?”

“Sure thingy. Take care!” Tendou said, waving at the screen. Ushijima also waved back.

“Take care too. And don’t cause trouble for Semi,” he said before ending the call.

Semi let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in. He hadn’t talked with Ushijima that much, but he swore he’d talk to him the next day.

Tendou noticed Semi’s actions and snickered.

“Were you really _that_ nervous?” he said. Semi glared at him.

“Who wouldn’t when they meet their idol for the first time?” Semi said.

Tendou looked at the ceiling for a while, scratching his chin, before saying, “You have a point there.”

With Semi winning the round, they both lost any interesting conversation topics to break the silence between them. Semi found it very awkward, and hoped to at least have something to talk about since he wasn’t really all that sleepy after their day’s work. Their extra help had truly been a good extra help. Semi was less tired than normal.

He glanced at Tendou from time to time, who seemed to be immersed in something. He had been clicking a lot for some time already.

Semi peered over Tendou’s shoulder, wanting to know what he was doing.

“Photos?” Semi said.

Tendou nodded, concentrating on his work. “I took them all.”

He then clicked on a file on his desktop. After that, he turned to Semi.

“Take your pick. Choose which pictures you want to see,” he said, passing his laptop to the other man. Semi carefully held it, afraid like he might accidentally break it or something.

“There’s a lot here,” he said. “I don’t know which I want to see first.”

Tendou raised a brow, before chuckling. “What’s the one place you would like to go to?”

Semi nibbled on his lower lip. “Do you mean like if I were on a holiday? Or is it a different thing?”

“Honest feelings, Semisemi. The one place where you really want to be,” Tendou looked at him straight in the eye, confident that he could provide the pictures of Semi’s dream destination.

“Satori, are you really sure that you have pictures of that place?” Semi asked, challenging the redhead’s confidence. Of course he would have them, Semi knew perfectly taking in consideration what he chose. He just wanted to see Tendou’s reaction to his challenge. Tendou groaned, but he nodded, a pout on his lips.

“Don’t you trust me?” Tendou asked.

“I don’t really trust you. I’ve only known you for a day,” Semi answered, although it wasn’t completely true. He was really starting to trust the guy. It kind of scared Semi.

Tendou just looked at him, pout still on his face. He then sighed, “You’re right.”

The atmosphere between them suddenly became too awkward once more for Semi’s liking.

“Sendai,” he said, breaking the silence between them. “I want to see pictures of Sendai.”

Tendou looked at him with wide eyes, and Semi noticed that he was trying to hold back his laughter.

“What?” Semi asked, irritated that the man wasn’t taking him seriously after his heartfelt answer.

“Of all places in the world, you choose Sendai? Seriously?” Tendou wheezed, tears at the corner of his eyes. Semi hit the back of his head. Lightly.

“Is it wrong to miss home?” he said. Tendou actually shut up after that. Semi wondered if he had hit a nerve.

“No, not really. Sorry for laughing,” the redhead said. “Here.”

He scrolled down to find the folder titled ‘Japan’, which had several subfolders. Semi noticed that there folders for each prefecture. Then, Tendou clicked on the folder ‘Sendai’, which was in the ‘Miyagi’ folder.

“There’s Sendai,” Tendou said, stating the obvious.

Semi looked at him, and said, “You haven’t got any photos developed?”

Tendou laughed. “That’s too much baggage. How am I supposed to stroll around in cities lugging around bags full of photo albums? I don’t really stay in one place for a long time, so I don’t stay at hotels. I’m more of a camper guy.”

Semi snorted. “A camper guy that nearly starved to death. How well prepared.”

Tendou’s cheeks reddened. Semi decided to let it go. He clicked on the first picture.

It was a cliché overview of the city during nighttime, nothing special in particular, but Semi thought it was beautiful.

 

Semi couldn’t really sleep later that night, even though he hadn’t really done much things out of the usual stuff. Okay, he did eat dinner with Tendou - the man was staying at his house after all - and he viewed all of the pictures Tendou took of Sendai.

Tendou even added Ushijima’s pictures as a bonus. Semi demanded to have them developed.

Semi wondered if the nostalgia caused by the pictures were the reason he couldn’t sleep. Did he miss his family? Sure he did.

He just couldn’t bring himself to face them once more. The last time he had talked to them, or even seen them was years ago.

Semi thought about Tendou, who he presumed was sleeping on his sofa. Did he miss his family as well? Were the intervals between his returns to Japan short? Tendou did mention that he had the money. Did he still have that money? Tendou said that he only needed to return to the city to withdraw money from the bank. That meant that he still had.

Semi mused on what would happen after Tendou left. Would they still remain in contact, despite being acquaintances during such a short time? He would want to. Tendou was the only Japanese friend - he thought that he could already call him his friend - that he had there, and despite not knowing him very well he still listened patiently to Semi. He’d like to continue being friends with him and perhaps even meet Ushijima personally through him.

Semi realized that he was thinking about Tendou much more than he was supposed to. He tried to give it a reason, saying he was just wondering about a stranger that he didn’t really trust that much yet.

Why did he talk about a lot of things from his personal life after only knowing him for a mere several hours, then?

Semi groaned. He was so out of character after meeting somebody from the same place as him.

He wondered, _Am I really_ that _lonely?_

He thought he wasn’t. The townspeople were nice and he was friends with them plus he didn’t have troubles with them, so he never thought he was lonely.

He sighed.

He got up to have a drink, thinking that a little alcohol in his system would help. Perhaps he could go outside and have a smoke too. He didn’t want to make his new friend uncomfortable so he didn’t smoke around him, but the need to bring the cigarette to his lips and inhale the smoke was also uncomfortable.

When he passed by his living room, he saw light coming from the sofa. Tendou was awake.

“Satori?” he asked, looking over the sofa. Tendou didn’t hear him; he was wearing headphones.

Semi saw that he was watching something on his laptop, and to his surprise he found out that he was watching anime. Fucking _anime_ in the middle of the fucking night. Or was it the wee hours of the morning already?

They had work the next day, or later.

Semi tapped Tendou’s shoulder, trying to get his attention. Tendou ignored it. The light haired man tugged at the redhead’s headphones.

“What is it, Semisemi?” Tendou asked after removing his listening device.

“We’ve got work tomorrow and we need to wake up early,” Semi said.

Tendou rubbed his eyes, groaning. “Can’t I watch some anime episodes for a while? I wasn’t able to during the past days.”

“If you’ve got time for them then use it to rest up ‘cause we’ve got work tomorrow,” Semi said.

“You say that, but why are _you_ up? Can’t sleep or something?” Tendou said, snickering.

“I can’t so I’m going to have a drink. Want to join me?” Semi offered, thinking that he could use a drinking companion.

“You serious?” Tendou asked, one brow raised.

“Yeah I am, that’s why I’m inviting you,” Semi said, stating the obvious.

Tendou was silent for a moment, before saying, “You could be a little more cautious around me, yanno?”

Semi was confused. It was a harmless offer in his opinion. “I think that you’ve proved to me earlier that you’re worthy enough to be my friend?”

“What? By introducing you to Waka? By helping you out in the pub? They may be hard for some people, but they’re piece of cake for me,” Tendou scoffed.

“So? Can’t I invite you for a drink? There are people that even pick up strangers in clubs,” Semi said, starting to get annoyed.

“Your house isn’t a club, Semisemi,” Tendou replied, his half-lidded eyes looking directly at Semi.

“No it isn’t, and you’re not really a stranger anymore either,” Semi said, his true feelings being stated at last.

Tendou scratched his chin, confused at Semi’s forwardness. The next thing he did, though, took Semi by surprise.

The redhead had pinned him to the wall, holding his wrists above him and his body was pressing against his. Tendou had his leg between Semi’s and their faces were way too close for Semi’s liking.

His heart felt like it wanted to escape the confines of his ribs.

“Satori?” he said in a soft voice, unable to believe the situation he was in.

“I’m only someone who entered your life a few hours ago. God, we’ve only known each other for a day and you already trust me that much? Where’s the ‘I don’t really trust you that much since you’re a stranger’ that you were saying earlier? Are you really _that_ easy?” Tendou asked, both in exasperation and disbelief.

It snapped Semi out of his daze. He freed himself easily from Tendou’s hold, owed to him having superior physical strength compared to the Tendou right now.

“Fuck, I invite you for a drink in my own house, with my own free will and kindness, and you just go and try to prove that you’re just a mere _stranger_?! Am I that untrustable? Because I know for sure that I’m not that easy!” Semi yelled, balling his fists. Tendou was quiet.

“Go away for all I care. It won’t bother me if you go and starve out there, stranger. Heck it could’ve been better if you die due to hypothermia out there,” Semi added, storming into the kitchen and slamming the door shut. He angrily grabbed a bottle of whiskey in one of the shelves, chugging down the amber liquid straight from the bottle. After he calmed himself down, he glanced every once in a while at the door, wondering if Tendou would go and apologise to him, because he really _did_ care.

Part of him wanted Tendou to apologise, but part of him also didn’t want him to.

Semi lit a cigarette as he just sat there, nothing in his head. He didn’t know what to do anymore.

He fell asleep, still sitting on his chair, hearing no apology coming out of Tendou’s lips.

 

Semi woke up to the smell of food wafting through the air. He opened one eye groggily to see who was cooking, but he first noticed that he was covered by a blanket.

Tendou was the one in front of the stove, flipping over some pancakes.

Semi was shocked.

“What’re you doin’?” he asked, in a sharper tone than he would have liked to. Tendou jolted the moment he heard it.

Tendou didn’t say anything for a few seconds, and Semi could even see that he was _panicking_.

“What are you panicking for?” Semi asked, this time in a gentler tone.

“Are you still mad with what I did last night?” Tendou said softly, not looking at him directly in the eye.

Semi sighed. “I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry,” Tendou mumbled. Semi raised a brow. Tendou continued, “I overstepped my boundaries.”

Semi just sat there, eyes blinking a little bit more than usual. His brain tried to process what the redhead had just said.

Tendou’s apology sounded very sincere, and Semi couldn’t really bear to be angry at him any longer. Semi found something in him that he couldn’t find in the others, and it was why he wanted to be with Tendou a little bit more.

“Fine. Apology accepted,” Tendou turned to him happily, eyes lighting up, but Semi carried on, “on the grounds of you not doing that anymore. It’s uncomfortable as fuck.”

Tendou let out a sigh of relief. “Of course of course _of course_ I won’t do it again!”

Semi went back to his room to return the blanket, Tendou continuing what he was doing. When he returned, he decided to pop a question.

“Are you gay?” he said, his words blunt and straightforward. Tendou let out a surprised ‘Eh?’

Semi just looked at him deadpanned, expecting an answer.

“You’re… kind of really straightforward today, aren’t ya?” Tendou said, flipping another pancake. Semi himself wondered how many pancakes Tendou was planning to make.

“Just answer it,” Semi said, preparing himself a cup of coffee. “Want coffee too?”

“Yeah please. With seven teaspoonfuls of sugar,” Tendou said. Semi cringed at his taste, believing it to be seven teaspoonfuls of sugar too much.

“Okay,” he said, still cringing as he dumped the sugar into Tendou’s cup.

“You don’t like tea?” Tendou asked, trying his best to divert attention from Semi’s earlier question about his sexuality.

“Not in the morning,” Semi said without looking up. “You haven’t answered my first question.”

Tendou gulped. Semi could notice that he was uncomfortable, but he really wanted to know if the accident from last night could still happen again. He was just trying to know more about the other party.

And maybe plan on how to escape the same situation should Tendou regain his former strength.

“Ugh, I’m bi,” Tendou answered at last. “Now, you?”

“Same,” Semi said.

Tendou was putting the plate of pancakes on the table, and Semi nearly whacked him on the head when the redhead almost dropped the plate. It would be a waste of food and dishware.

“Wait what?” Tendou said in disbelief.

“What?” Semi asked, getting the butter in the fridge.

“You’re bi too? I thought you were straight!”

“Why is that?”

“‘Cuz you were uncomfortable last night!”

“Who wouldn’t be uncomfortable like that?”

Tendou was speechless. Semi knew that the redhead should admit he had a point.

“So, uh…” Tendou started, fiddling with his fingers. “Do I have a chance?”

He immediately clasped his hands over his mouth, unable to believe he actually said that.

“Uh, nevermind. Forget it please please please!” Tendou said. It had the opposite effect on Semi.

He was about to say something when Tendou cut him off.

“Look since you’re paying me for my services by hour, can I have some afternoons off? I know it’ll take me longer to have the money but I really just need the time more than it,” Tendou said, cutting his pancakes into cubes.

Semi wondered what Tendou wanted to do in that free time. However, he didn’t have a reason not to allow the redhead to do as he wanted.

Semi was still curious, though.

“Why?” he asked. Tendou gulped.

“It’s… a secret?” Tendou said, unsure of his words. He quickly added, “Please let me.”

Semi knew that if he tried to pry even more it would just make it harder for Tendou to tell him.

He sighed. “Until when is it?”

Tendou’s eyes lit up, a huge smile on his face. Semi thought that Tendou might cry out of happiness.

“Just a few days!”

“What few days? Be exact.”

“Hmmm… eleventh of November?”

Tendou wolfed down all of his share of pancakes and glugged down his coffee, wincing at the pain of the heat. He then told Semi, “I’m taking a quick shower to freshen up,” and left.

Semi was left there, eating only his third pancake. He felt a little bit suspicious about Tendou.

Eleventh of November was more than a few days away. Eleventh of November was also Semi’s birthday. What was Tendou planning? He couldn’t have known about his birthday yet; Semi hadn’t told him about that. He nly said it was late in the year.

 _Did Anna tell him?_ he asked himself in his mind.

Semi ate another bit of his pancake.


	4. Chapter 4

Tendou said that he would be taking some afternoons off, but Semi noticed that he left _every_ afternoon instead. Also, he sometimes took a whole day off. It made him even more curious - just what was Tendou up to?

“Anna,” Semi said, his pronunciation laced with a bit of Japanese accent - he had been talking a lot in his mother language. “Did you tell Satori something?”

Anna averted her eyes as she swept the floor, apparently deciding that looking at the ceiling was much better. “I didn’t tell him anything.”

Semi looked up from his book. “You definitely told him something, you liar.”

Anna laughed. “Mr Satori just wanted to know a few things about you.”

Semi glared at her. She continued, trying to defend herself, “He wanted to know what you like and when’s the best time to give such stuff. He meant nothing wrong! _We_ meant nothing wrong.”

Semi’s expression softened. It looked like Tendou was going to give him something on his birthday. He knew from Anna’s expression that the redhead had found out about the date from her.

“What’s done is done, but next time don’t go giving out my personal information to others without my permission,” Semi said, turning the page.

Anna giggled as she collected the dust. “Your mood’s become better ever since he came, so I thought that it’d be nice if you two get closer. I mean, even _you_ must miss your homeland from time to time, right?”

Semi just stared at her blankly. She figured out his feelings.

Was he that obvious?

Semi opted to continue reading his book, the background music of the pub helping him relax along with the drags he took from his cigarette once in a while. He sometimes blew smoke at Anna whenever she got close to him, just to get back at her.

After a few minutes, Semi got bored of his book and decided to interrogate Anna more about what she could know.

“Anna, what do you think he’s doing right now?” he said.

The young woman looked at him, before scratching her chin. “Who? Mr Satori?”

“Duh,” Semi made a face.

“Ah, I don’t know,” Anna said while stifling her laughter.

“What?”

“Mr Eita, you can’t expect me to know what Mr Satori’s doing when _you_ , the one who’s providing accommodation, don’t even know it.”

Anna had a point there. Tendou was always fidgety when Semi arrived from work. He tried to hide everything he did from the light haired man, sometimes going to lengths as locking himself in the bathroom even though he didn’t have business there.

Semi only had glimpses of what the redhead was doing. If he entered quietly enough, he would hear some shuffling of papers before Tendou put them away.

Well, what could it be? Semi also wondered if he was just being overly excited about receiving a gift from Tendou. It could just be a thank you gift, for all he could care.

“Who knows? The townspeople usually see him with his cameras, equipment and all as well. Maybe he’s just taking pictures?” Anna said, sitting down on the stool next to her boss.

Semi looked up at the ceiling. It could just be for Tendou’s work, those pictures. He did say that he had never been in the Lake District. He could just be taking all those pictures, then he would eventually leave and Semi would never see him again.

Actually, Semi would ask for his contact first before he allowed the man to leave. He was not going to let a friend walk go away only for them to never see each other again.

“I think that too,” Semi said after a few minutes, but he didn’t stop thinking about what Tendou could be planning.

  
  


“Uh, Semisemi?” Tendou said after he had put away all of his stuff related to his work. Semi thought that he seemed more fidgety than usual, which was already bad enough.

“What is it, Satori?” he replied.

“Is there any view you can recommend to me? For taking pictures?”

Semi was quiet. He didn’t know how to answer Tendou’s question.

He hadn’t really got the time to appreciate the scenery of the place during all the time he had been staying there, his work taking up most of his time.

He scratched his head sheepishly. “I, uh, don’t really have any.”

Tendou pouted. “Why?”

“I never had the time to go around to see the views.”

“Oh, what a shame.”

Semi could only think how he didn’t like seeing Tendou with that crestfallen look _so_ unlike his character.  

“Sorry, I was really broke when I first came here and I needed a job quick or I would starve to death, or even die of hypothermia,” Semi blurted out, in an effort of wiping off that expression from the photographer’s face.

Tendou blinked several times. Semi found himself doing the same.

What had he just said?

Tendou burst out laughing, his laughter like a hyena’s. “What?! And you were the one who berated me for being found all broke and starving a few days after being rescued?”

Semi’s face reddened. “At least it was because I got robbed! Unlike you who just made a fucking miscalculation! That’s worse!”

“Well I was strong enough to fight off the robbers, and I also had the speed. Mind you, volleyball did that to me.”

“I was caught off guard! I tried to chase after them but I lost them in the crowd!”

“That’s because you didn’t try predicting their direction!” Tendou made a sign of disapproval. “You should’ve checked the way their body moved to see in which direction they were about to go.”

Semi could feel a vein popping. “Sorry if I’m not as intuitive as you are, Mr Guess Monster.”

“That title’s cool though, and while I’m not truly a monster it describes me a lot.”

“It’s a shitty one, just like its owner. It indirectly describes you perfectly, you piece of contradicting shit.”

“At least I have a title, unlike you, no-name.”

“I’ve got a lot of stuff to back up my titlelessness, like my cooking ability. My food saved this town _and_ you.”

“Fuck you for hitting where it hurts the most, Semisemi.”

The pub owner just looked at the photographer with smug grin. He won this battle.

“Says the one who didn’t even have time to fucking appreciate life,” Tendou grumbled. This time he also hit Semi where it hurt most.

Semi was just too absorbed in his work to go out and appreciate the place he was in. Running a pub meant that he had to be open everyday, from morning to evening. The few days of vacation were Christmas and New Year, and the International Labour Day. He usually spent those days with the townsfolk, not knowing where to go.

“I would rather not appreciate life if it would just be taken from me,” Semi snapped back.

“Look, I know I’ve got in several accidents already - if you look closely at my body I’ve got scars to prove them, but they were worth it. I still saw the beauty of the world, no matter how evil the people that live in it are,” Tendou said, expression serious and finger pointing at Semi. “I’d rather live a risky exciting life than waste away my days doing boring things. Even Waka’s better than you. I’ve got him to go with me several times to Tokyo Disneyland.”

Semi was speechless. He didn’t really expect Tendou to be so passionate about his travels. He gulped, feeling like the world was stuck in his throat.

“S-Satori, hey, I’m sorry,” Semi croaked, reaching out for Tendou’s shoulder, who already had his back turned to him.

Tendou raised a brow when he looked at Semi. He then scratched his head.

“About, that… er, I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have lashed out to you like that, sorry.”

“No, I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m the one who made you angry.”

Tendou looked dumbfounded. He sighed. “Alright, it’s fine. We’re both sorry, let’s make up? Besides, I’m calling Waka in a few minutes, want to join in again?”

Semi smiled a little bit, despite the feeling of guilt in his gut.

“You know that I can never turn down your offer.”

  
  


Ushijima looked like he had been up for quite a while already when he picked up. Semi noticed that it was the first time he saw his idol in that state after more than a week of talking to him.

“What’s up Waka? Why’re ya all ready and prepared?” Tendou asked, an upside-down grin on his face.

“Bokuto woke me up with a call, mistaking my number with Yaku’s. He only meant to ask for Konoha’s new number, which I gave. He has a very loud voice,” Ushijima said. “I couldn’t go back to sleep a little bit more. My ears are still ringing.”

So that explained why he didn’t look like he just woke up, contrary to the past days.

Semi had seen the former Fukurodani captain’s antics on TV before, so he wonder how someone as stoic and quiet like Ushijima could handle the full blast of energy coming from Bokuto.

“Ha! I bet he talked your ear off after you gave him Konoha’s number,” Tendou snickered beside Semi.

Then again, Semi was reminded that Ushijima was friends with a certain Tendou Satori, and it was probably just the same as being friends with Bokuto Koutarou, though Tendou was more of a satanic version from what Semi remembered in high school.

“My ear is still attached, so no, but I thought I would go deaf,” Ushijima said, as a matter of fact.

“Waka, it’s just an expression.”

“I see.”

“Ushijima, don’t go with his flow, please,” Semi said, joining their conversation. Ushijima had allowed him to address him without honorifics, and Semi was half-delighted and half-surprised.

“I am not going with his flow,” Ushijima replied. Tendou snorted.

“You did, Waka,” he said.

“Let’s just get over it - no, don’t be a child Satori, you are not a child,” Semi said, shooting down Tendou’s pleas to continue what he was doing - and damn, Tendou’s pout was cute. Semi had to gather all of his willpower not to go and give in to the redhead.

Gathering all of his willpower was a little too much for him, though.

“So Ushijima, aren’t you planning like, rescue this best friend of yours here? I mean, you guys _are_ best friends, right?” Semi just went and said it, sounding like he thought Ushijima was a bad friend.

He used up even the willpower he was using not to make a mess of himself while talking the volleyball ace.

“Ah - I didn’t mean anything bad there! I didn’t mean to say it like you were a bad friend butIjustwanttoknowifyouwouldbecominghere,” Semi ranted, face heating up.

Tendou sounded like a hyena laughing on its deathbed, while Ushijima was just looking at Semi with a blank expression.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that,” Ushijima said. “There was a little bit of static.”

“Oh,” was all Semi could say. He took a deep breath and tried to steer the conversation away from his mess.

Unfortunately for him, the man with the red hair and large brown eyes just made it even harder for him.

“Waka, Semisemi just wanted to ask if you would be coming here,” Tendou said, clarifying the mess of words Semi spouted. The light haired man’s eyes widened in shock and horror.

“I see. Unfortunately my schedule is quite busy right now so I can’t go there. Besides, I already made plans to travel to the US to stay at my father’s place for the Christmas season, so I’m sorry. I’ll try to visit you two some other time,” Ushijima said. Semi’s heart sank. As much as he wanted to meet Ushijima, he wanted to meet him while Tendou was still there. He didn’t know how to talk to him without Tendou.

“Oh, okay,” Semi said.

“You can go here if you want. You’re also Japanese, right?”

Semi’s ears perked up when Ushijima said that.

“Y-Yeah, I can, but-”

“If it’s about money, I think Satori wouldn’t mind lending you some,” Ushijima cut him off, glancing at the part where Tendou would be on his screen.

Semi turned to the redhead beside him. Tendou shrugged his shoulders and said, “If that’s what you want, I don’t mind it that much Semisemi. All you have to do is to pay me back after that.”

“I don’t know about that,” Semi said, and he felt quite sad about it.

“Whaddya mean? I know you can, your pub’s as popular as ever,” Tendou said, not knowing what really bothered Semi in the first place.

Semi sighed. “We’ll see about that in the future. But it’s true I would like to meet you in person, Ushijima.”

“I feel the same. I still can’t thank you enough for saving Satori,” Ushijima said, a look of understanding on his face.

“Aww guys, you care a lot for me huh?” Tendou cooed like the kid he really was mentally.

“Geez Tendou, if none of us cared of you, you wouldn’t be alive right now. I have the feeling that Ushijima took care of you after high school, am I wrong?” Semi said, his tone smug.

“You are not,” Ushijima said, making Semi stick out his tongue at Tendou to ruffle his feathers. Tendou glared at him.

“Waka, why?!”

“Semi is not wrong. I took care of you after we graduated high school until you started travelling. Then, Semi took care of you when you nearly died in the English countryside. I will sincerely be sad if you just died without my knowing.”

Tendou let out an audible sigh. “Fine. Also, while I appreciate you being sad when I die that way, I don’t want to see you like that.”

“A friend will get sad if their friend dies,” Ushijima said. Tendou shut up. Semi figured out that the redhead was weak to his best friend. He found that trait of Tendou endearing.

“Uh, so Waka, can we just chat again tomorrow? I’ve still got something else to do - well, I can leave you with Semisemi here if both of you have no problems,” Tendou said after a few seconds of awkwardness, looking at Semi.

“I see. Semi, would you like to do so?” Ushijima inquired. Semi found it hard to agree. While he liked talking to Ushijima, he still found it awkward to talk to him alone.

“Thanks for the offer, but I also got something to do,” Semi said.

“Well then Waka, see you tomorrow!” Tendou said, beaming at the webcam.

“See you,” Ushijima said, and Semi also did the same, before Ushijima ended the call.

Semi waited for Tendou to fold his laptop before asking, “And what are you planning to do? The chat’s a little bit shorter than usual after all.”

“I’m planning to go to the city tomorrow,” Tendou said. Semi started feeling a wash of panic over him.

Tendou was planning to go to the city the next day. Was he planning on leaving _that_ early? Did Semi just get his hopes up only to find out that Tendou was going to leave?

“What’re you going to do there?” Semi asked, but he immediately slapped his hands over his mouth. “No, nevermind that.”

Tendou looked at him - and was that amusement?

“I’m going to withdraw cash, remember? And don’t worry, I’m planning to stay a little bit longer before I leave the Lake District. I enjoy your company a lot, after all,” he said, smiling.

Semi felt his cheeks heat up. “Well, that’ll be nice.”

Tendou let out a soft laugh. “Are you going to miss me when I leave?”

Semi didn’t answer that.

“I’ll be back by tomorrow afternoon, I think. All I can say for sure is that I’ll be back by the end of the day, that’s all.”

“Okay. You better take care tomorrow.”

“Of course I will, Semisemi.”

Semi went to bed feeling a little bit sad.

Tendou wouldn’t be there during the whole day of his birthday.

  
  


The townspeople all went to the pub the following day, all of them ordering something.

“That’s not fair; I’m the one cooking my own party food,” Semi joked, even though he wasn’t completely in the mood. Tendou had left before he even woke up. Semi hadn’t been able to tell him ‘take care’ a second time. He thought how pathetic of him it was to think like that.

The party was great, to be honest, but Semi thought it was a little quieter than he would like it to be.

“Is there something bothering the birthday boy?” Anna asked in private.

“No, not really,” Semi lied.

Anna left him alone, understanding that he didn’t want to say anything else after that.

The day passed quickly, Semi having lost the track of time. It wasn’t long until he found himself saying goodbye to the others and going home for the night.

When he was about to unlock the door, he noticed that the lights were on.

Semi immediately knew that Tendou was already there. He was the only one he lent the keys to, having trusted him a little bit too much.

He unlocked the door quickly - rushed inside even - and found Tendou sitting on the couch watching TV.

“Hey Semisemi,” Tendou said, waving.

“Hey,” Semi panted, taking a moment to catch his breath.

Tendou stood up and took the paper bag beside him. He handed it to Semi.

“Happy birthday, Semisemi,” he said in that cheerful voice of his, beaming at the tired birthday boy.

Semi peeked inside the bag. It contained some kind of book. He took it out and opened it.

Pictures of Sendai filled the first pages. Semi even recognized some of them as his own, and he would admit that it made him homesick. Tendou even tossed in some pictures of the Shiratorizawa team back when they were in high school. After them came pictures of the Lake District and its most beautiful views. Semi continued flipping the pages over, biting his lower lip as he looked at the views he never got to see in person.

When Semi turned another page, he found pictures of the townsfolk, and they had even written notes near the pictures. Semi thought they were damned fucking liars, saying that they only saw glimpses of Tendou when they had been conspiring with him the first place. Birthday notes, notes of appreciation, notes of ‘take care of yourself’ and more were written by the townsfolk. Tendou even added a note in the last page.

_Thank you for saving my life_.

It hit the nail in the coffin. Semi could feel the tears welling up in the corner of his eyes.

Tendou’s gift was an album of his homes, and the people he cherished despite his denial.

“S-So, did you like it?” Tendou questioned nervously, eyes averted.

Semi looked at him, his lips wobbling.

“I love it,” he said, tears falling down his cheeks. “I fucking love it Satori, no matter how much it hurts me that I’ve never truly appreciated the places I can actually call home.”

Tendou smiled at him warmly.

“I’m glad to hear it.”


	5. Chapter 5

Semi wiped away the tears and snot with the handkerchief Tendou handed him. 

“Fuck you, now I look super uncool,” he said, tossing back the piece of cloth to its owner. Tendou evaded it with a gross look.

“You may be the birthday boy but I’m not touching that!” he said, pointing at the offending object lying on the floor. Semi laughed heartily.

“By the way, what d’ya got there in all those bags?” Semi asked.

“Alcohol. It’s not a party if there’s no alcohol, ya know!” Tendou said, beaming as he took out a bottle of whiskey. “I’ve got more types, so just tell me what you want.”

Semi snorted. “Will you start mixing cocktails after that?” he said, though he didn’t really mean it as a real question.

“Why, if you want!” Tendou said, taking out another bottle of alcohol. Vodka. 

The other stared at him, raising an eyebrow. “What are you, a bartender in the making?”

“Not really. I just learned a few tricks from Futakuchi-kun. That guy’s annoying as hell but he knows his stuff.”

“Is that Futakuchi-kun perhaps Dateko’s former ace?”

“Yup! I couldn’t believe he became a bartender, seriously! Look, do you really think a guy like him is a people’s person?”

The two continued making fun of Dateko’s former captain, drinking shot after shot, changing topic after topic. While the majority of the adults in the party earlier drank beer, Semi refused it, preferring to make it through the day sober. However, during the night was different, plus he wasn’t surrounded by so much people.

“So, what did you do in the city apart from buying all these stuff?” Semi asked, words slurring a little bit.

“Hmm? Got cash, like I said,” Tendou said as he poured himself a gin and tonic, asking Semi if he wanted the same with some gestures.

“Sure,” Semi said. “And what about the days you took off?”

Tendou looked at him with a lopsided grin. “You really curious ‘bout what I did?”

Semi nodded. “As your boss and caretaker I have to know what happened to you.”

“Sometimes I went to the city. Sometimes I just took pictures of the place. Afternoons aren’t always enough if you want something of good quality.”

Tendou started ranting about how it was important to find a good angle, to correctly set the camera’s settings, etcetera etcetera. Semi noted how passionate the man was with his work, and wondered if he really felt that way with his own.

Semi continued listening to Tendou, nodding once in a while and throwing some ‘hmms’ to show he was listening. The redhead continued mixing drinks. The dip-dyed haired man would chuckle every time it looked like Tendou was about to lose his grip on the shaker. 

He would pout at Semi, and Semi could only think about how damn cute was his pouts. He had to thank the alcohol for a being good reason for his blush.

“Semisemi? You ‘kay?” Tendou asked out of the blue, snapping Semi out of his daze. “You were staring at me,” Tendou said, giggling. 

Semi rubbed his eyes. “Was not, you idjit.”

“You were,” Tendou singsonged. “By the way, mind to try out something?”

Semi raised an eyebrow. “What’s it?”

“This one,” Tendou said, handing him a drink in a shotglass. He got up several times to wash the glasses and sometimes get different ones.

Semi eyed the drink Tendou gave him. The base was of a very dark brown color - Semi guessed it was coffee liqueur. The middle part was of a lighter brown color, like coffee mixed with cream. And speaking of cream, the drink was topped with whipped cream.

“Why’d you hand me a blowjob shooter?” Semi asked, furrowing his brows. 

“It’s a challenge, Semisemi,” Tendou said, eyes glinting. “I’m the only one here, but if you’re that much of a coward I’ll drink it myself.”

Semi wondered  _ why  _ of all the times the alcohol had to kick in during that moment, and he accepted the challenge.

“I’m not a coward, Satori,” he hissed, before putting his lips around the edge of the glass, his hands on the table. He swiftly threw back his head, drinking all of the shot. He immediately removed the glass with his hand, coughing a little bit. Tendou was just observing him with an amused look on his face, and there was something in his eyes that Semi could identify - arousal.

“What?” Semi laughed. “You’ve seen me take that, don’t tell me you want a real one yourself?”

Tendou laughed as well, though his was humorless. “Semisemi, I don’t think  _ I’m  _ the one who wants it.”

He proved his point by tilting his head at Semi’s direction. Semi became aware of the strain in his pants.

Tendou licked his lips, scooting closer to Semi. He placed a hand on the other man’s thigh, looking into his eyes to ask for permission. 

Semi swore he would blame the alcohol, and only the alcohol, for the choices he would be making that night.

He allowed Tendou to proceed. The redhead knelt in front of Semi, parting his legs as he unzipped his pants. Semi’s arousal sprang up the moment it was freed from its constraints.

“Look at that, Semisemi,” Tendou drawled. “It’s already dripping.”

“Shut the fuck up and just do it,” Semi snapped due to embarrassment. The other chuckled lightly.

“Patience,” he said. He then started lapping up the precome, the light touches of his tongue making Semi shiver.

“Stop teasing,” Semi groaned. Tendou looked at him with his characteristic droopy eyes. 

He took in all of Semi without a warning, eliciting a moan from the other man. Semi harshly gripped Tendou’s hair as he continued to suck him, bucking his hips unconsciously. Tendou nearly choked, but he regained his composure and managed to get Semi on the edge the moment he pressed his tongue on the man’s tip, making him come in his mouth. He spat it out on his hand, standing up to get some tissues.

Semi remained in his place, dazed.

Tendou returned with clean hands, and Semi thought he heard water gurgling.

“You offered to blow me, then you just went and rinsed your mouth?” Semi said, his voice scratchy and vision hazy.

“You want more?” Tendou asked, raising an eyebrow. Semi gulped. The redhead noticed it and grinned.

“Let’s bring this to the bed, birthday boy. I’ll introduce you to a world of pleasure,” he said, gesturing Semi to his own bedroom.

Semi did go there, Tendou capturing his lips the moment he passed in front of him. They didn’t part until Semi felt himself being pushed onto his bed.

“Where’s the lube and condoms?” Tendou asked, eyes flitting around the room.

“Lowest drawer on the bedside table,” Semi said, panting and undressing himself. “Hurry the fuck up.”

“Okay okay,” Tendou said, taking off his clothes as well. 

He added lube onto his palm, making sure his fingers were slick before inserting one in Semi, who choked back a moan.

“Why hold back?” he asked. Semi glared at him.

“Just continue,” he said, covering his eyes with his arm.

Tendou inserted another finger, and another one. Semi was seriously impatient at this point.

“Fuck, put it in already.”

“Not yet, Semisemi. It’ll tear your ass.”

“I don’t care. I’ve got tomorrow off.”

“You got a point there,” Tendou said, and he withdrew his fingers. Semi was taken aback by the emptiness. 

His partner didn’t waste time though. Tendou had already positioned the tip of his cock at Semi’s entrance, and without a word, he pushed in.

Semi moaned, tightening around Tendou, who let out a groan.

“Fuck, you’re damn tight,” Tendou panted. “Want some time to adjust?”

Semi didn’t answer. He let Tendou decide this time.

The redhead thrusted in him  _ hard _ , and Semi found himself clawing at Tendou’s back, drawing blood due to the pain.

“Shit, are you okay?” Tendou asked, wincing a bit. Semi nodded his head.

“Don’t stop.”

“Fine.”

Tendou started at an agonizingly slow pace that Semi wrapped his legs around the man’s legs as an indication to go faster. 

Semi held tightly on Tendou as he started thrusting in with increasing speed, Tendou nipping at the side of his neck as he did. Semi grabbed the back of Tendou’s head to pull him into a kiss, unable to take more.

It caused Tendou to shift his angle a bit, and a shiver of pleasure went up Semi’s spine. Tendou noticed it and continued thrusting at that spot.

Semi snaked his hand in between them, the need to come growing more and more and he just couldn’t take it anymore. He pumped his own erection, moaning as Tendou returned to sucking Semi’s neck. 

Tendou bit down on the side of Semi’s neck, sending Semi over the edge and white laces of come decorated his chest, convulsing hotly around Tendou. Tendou quickened his pace even more and Semi turned into a moaning mess, unable to say anything comprehensible apart from “fuck” and “faster” and “Satori”.

Tendou didn’t last long. Semi could feel through the rubber covering the warmth of Tendou’s release, gripping tightly at the man’s shoulders. Tendou collapsed on Semi’s side, barely avoiding his come covered chest and not pulling out yet.

Semi let that be for a while, before nudging Tendou to tell him he was going to clean himself up. The redhead pulled out, removing the condom and rolled to the side.

Unfortunately for him, the moment he tried to stand up he fell down immediately, landing on the hard floor on his ass. Tendou jolted up upon hearing the loud  _ thud _ .

“Semisemi?” he said, not seeing the light haired man.

Semi groaned. He didn’t want Tendou to see him like that, unable to stand up after a single round.

“Oh, there you are,” the redhead said after he turned on the bedside lamp, eyes squinting from the light. “I’ll help you. Shower?”

Semi nodded. He didn’t want to sleep all hot and sweaty and wake up covered in dried come.

“Want me to carry you?” Tendou asked, his tone teasing. 

“No fucking way,” Semi spat, making Tendou laugh. “Just help me up and that’s all.”

“I’ll support you too in the bathroom so you don’t slip.”

“Don’t fall asleep or else I’m going to drown you in the tub.”

“Ooh, scary scary.”

Tendou  _ did _ help Semi properly during the shower, none of them slipping or falling asleep. 

That night, Semi didn’t make Tendou sleep on the couch like the other days. He allowed him to sleep next to him.

  
  


“Morning, sunshine,” Tendou said when Semi opened his eyes. He was already sitting up, but it was obvious that he hadn’t fixed himself up yet. He merely threw on his favorite black hoodie and his boxers. He had his laptop on his lap, eagerly clicking away. Semi squinted his eyes when he looked around the room, the light hurting his eyes. The blinds were already opened, letting in the sunlight.

It took Semi quite a while before he managed to comprehend his situation.

“Uh, how ‘bout checking yourself in the mirror first?” Tendou said, pretty unsure about what he was saying. “Don’t kill me though,” he added quickly.

Semi tilted his head in confusion, before heading to the bathroom. The pain in his ass was still there, and he stumbled. Tendou put away his laptop to help Semi up.

“Thanks,” Semi mumbled, his voice scratchy due to just having woken up.

Tendou guided him to the bathroom and Semi stared at his reflection with wide eyes.

His formerly pale neck was decorated with  _ hickeys _ . 

He turned to Tendou, who averted his eyes.

“Please… don’t kill me? It’s nearing winter so wearing a scarf’s completely fine!” Tendou said as fast as humanly possible.

Semi sighed. “It gets hot in the kitchen, you know?”

“Uh, I’ll be your assistant there instead? Tell Nick to go and be a server for a while. Make Anna go and take all the orders from the kitchen - I don’t think she’d mind. I mean, she’d kinda expect her boss to enjoy for once, right?” Tendou said, scratching his chin.

“There’s a lot of ways to enjoy one’s birthday night,” Semi deadpanned, reaching out for his toothbrush. As he did, he noticed a small container beside the toothbrush holder. He squinted his eyes to read the label.

“Oh, that’s my hair gel. From now on I’ll be spiking up my hair again!” Tendou said, grinning. “I need a haircut first though.”

“There’s a barbershop on the third street to the right of the pub,” Semi said.

“I know that already, but thanks,” Tendou said as he reached out for his own toothbrush.

The morning passed with Tendou making breakfast instead of Semi; the lighter haired man wouldn’t stop complaining about how his ass felt like splitting. Tendou guessed properly that he hadn’t been fucked in a while.

“As much as I hate to admit it, the last time I got laid was several months ago. On top of that, I was the one who put it in,” Semi said dejectedly. 

Tendou laughed. “That shows just how much of workaholic you are, Semisemi! You should go out sometime and have like, one night stands. You swing both ways and have good looks, so it shouldn’t be much a problem.”

Semi glared at him. “And you? When’s the last time you got laid?”

“Like, four weeks ago.”

“The fuck?”

“Hey, sometimes fucking or getting fucked by somebody’s my gateway to having a free meal. I don’t care about receiving money, but I care about eating. The countryside’s just pretty gloomy and stuff, so I just ended up starving.”

Semi didn’t know how to reply to that. “Uh, you sure all of them were safe?”

“I make sure I’m not very intoxicated when I do it, so I know we have taken precautions. Think of it, Semisemi. Did I look and feel drunk to you last night?” Tendou said.

“When you nearly lost your grip on the shakers,” Semi said.

Tendou laughed heartily. “I can’t set the mood if I don’t act like I’m also getting drunk. You’ll just feel awkward.”

“Great, now I just found out how stupid I had been last night.”

“No, you were wonderful.”

“I wasn’t. Alcohol clouded my senses enough to allow  _ you _ to  _ fuck me _ .”

Tendou pursed his lips. “You didn’t like it?”

Semi blinked owlishly, then shook his head. “If I had known that you’re a flexible guy then I would’ve been the one to put it in.”

Tendou’s cheeks reddened. Semi could see his ears were also reddening.

“Uh… I’ll let you top once in a while? I seriously prefer to top but…”

Semi clenched his hand into a victory fist. Tendou gave him an unamused look.

“I’ll still top sometimes, okay? Don’t get all happy there,” Tendou said, pouting.

Semi just smirked.

“Also - this time I’ll let you be happy - Waka told me to give you his contact. Said it’s his gift for the man who saved his best friend’s life,” Tendou added, holding up his phone with Ushijima's contact details on the screen. Semi nearly dove across the table to get it.

“Calm down! It’s not going anywhere!” Tendou said, eyes wide in shock.

“Is he really serious?!” Semi asked, eyes sparkling. 

“Yeah yeah. Waka said it’s also part of his thanks. Honestly, he thought saying ‘thank you’ wasn’t enough.”

The moment he registered Ushijima as one of his Skype contacts, Semi thought he would burst due to happiness.

  
  


They fell back into their usual routine the next day, working at the pub. Anna jokingly congratulated Semi for getting laid in what seemed like years, Semi threatening to fire her, albeit not being serious as well.

Tendou worked in the kitchen until Semi’s hickeys were gone. The lighter haired man had to get used to a head of spiky red hair running around the place just to save the nearly burning food. 

Semi had to admit, Tendou looked better with his hair up.

The days melted into weeks, and Tendou spent Christmas and New Year with him. He got Semi a small digital camera, saying that he should take some photos once in a while. In turn, he got Tendou a warm purple - Shiratorizawa’s shade- coat , knowing that the redhead would sometimes disappear to take pictures without a word. Semi couldn’t help not worrying for him.

He also wanted to give him something, in case he left without a word just like what he would usually do.

Semi wished that he would never leave, like he said before. He had grown too accustomed to his company. Tendou even got some space for his clothes in Semi’s closet.

He stared a little bit more at the redhead, who was eagerly making jokes with Anna and George during their break. Semi thought Tendou was really a great mood maker; the whole atmosphere of the place was wonderful and light - the ideal one.

It made Semi smile.

  
  


“Satori! Are you really sure every single Christmas decoration is down?!” Semi shouted at the other end of the room frantically. 

“Yeah I’m sure!” Tendou said, frowning. “Why are you so keen on taking them down right now?” 

“It’s bad luck to still have Christmas decor on during the Epiphany. I’m not a fan of bad luck,” Semi said, carefully stowing away the boxes.

“That’s what you get when you don’t clean up immediately,” Tendou whistled as he propped open his laptop, flopping down on his stomach on Semi’s couch.

“Excuse me, it’s the fault of a certain somebody that my body ached all over after Christmas,” Semi said, looking flatly at Tendou.

“We agreed on getting you laid at a normal rhythm, Semisemi. Helps one to relax as well, you know? It benefits me too,” Tendou said, waggling his eyebrows.

“I know I know,” Semi said.

The clock then struck midnight, setting of the alarm Semi set earlier. Semi looked at Tendou, who jumped in surprise.

“What the fuck is that?!” Tendou said, wide eyed and panting. “Why did you that to me, Semisemi,” he whined.

“That’s revenge, Satori,” Semi chuckled. Tendou got up and tackled him, nuzzling his neck when they hit the floor - more specifically, the carpet. Semi ran his fingers through Tendou’s hair, noting how some strands were no longer held up by gel.

“So, Semisemi,” Tendou said. “Want to do it tonight? It’s quite cold.”

“Fine by me.”

“Way to go to celebrate Twelfth Night, huh?”

“Shut up.”

  
  


They both woke up later than they should have the next day, but they just laughed it off when they were told off by Anna and the other part-timers. Tendou made a joke on how the roles had been switched this time. 

Semi decided to continue serving fruitcake during the day, thought without the stuff inside, since the town’s kids requested for it. 

“You should sometimes try making  _ roscón _ ,” Tendou said as he sliced another piece of fruitcake to hand it to a child. “It’s kinda similar to this. I tasted it when I celebrated _E_ _l_ _  día de los reyes  _ in Madrid two years ago.”

Semi scratched his chin. “I’ll try sometime, then I’ll probably serve it next year.”

“You should come with me sometime to Spain, Semisemi. It’s nice over there and it’s near,” Tendou said, looking wistfully out of the window.

Semi’s heart started thumping.

Was Tendou going to leave now? 

If yes, he’d want to follow him, but he had taken too much days off the past weeks. He’d like to stay for a little more, to work the days he had missed.

“Maybe," he said. "Sometime."

Tendou didn’t reply.

After that, all Semi could think during the day was  _ don’t make Satori leave _ .

When they chatted with Ushijima that night, Tendou didn’t show signs that he would be leaving anytime soon. However, it still didn’t calm Semi down.

When they went to bed - Semi started allowing Tendou to sleep next to him - the redhead didn’t mention anything related to leaving.

The lighter haired man didn’t fall asleep immediately. He furrowed his eyebrows at how easily Tendou fell asleep. He was already snoring away.

Tendou would usually watch an anime episode before sleeping. This time, he didn’t.

Semi tried to remain awake, knowing that if Tendou planned to leave he would be waking up earlier than him - contrary to when he never took a whole day off; Tendou would sleep in as much as possible. 

If he couldn’t stop Tendou from leaving, he’d at least tell him ‘good bye, take care, come back soon, I’ll be waiting, call me from time to time’ and more. 

Tendou himself said that he called Semi a friend, sometimes even joking that they were also sex friends, but nonetheless, a friend. It gave Semi a reason to worry.

Still, the fatigue from the day’s work made Semi fall asleep against his wishes.

  
  


When he woke up, Tendou was no longer beside him. Semi quickly got up, panicked. 

Had Tendou left already?

Semi scoured his whole place for traces of Tendou still being there, calling out the redhead's name once in a while only to be met with silence. 

He found out that Tendou had took his toothbrush and his hair gel the moment he stepped into the bathroom. Semi couldn’t find any of his dirty clothes lying somewhere in his bedroom - he remembered Tendou had done the laundry the day before. None of Tendou’s bags were in the living room, unlike the usual.

Semi ran to the kitchen - maybe Tendou was still there, just drinking coffee, listening to music - maybe that's why he didn't reply.

Maybe he was still there, and he just brought his all of his stuff there.

Maybe he was still there, waiting for Semi to wake up.

When Semi opened the door, there was no scent of coffee in the air. He opened the cabinet on top of the sink - the dishes Tendou had used were already washed.

Semi felt like he was going to melt into a puddle of sadness. He wasn’t even able to say goodbye.

He had started walking back to his room to change his clothes, shoulders hunched when he noticed a bright yellow piece of paper stuck to his fridge. Semi never left post-its on his fridge’s door.

He inspected it closely, and he could feel something in his chest. Something like relief.

Tendou wrote,  _ I’ll be back _ .

Semi smiled softly as he went back to his room, reading those three words over and over again. He only stopped when he opened his closet, and noticed something in the space where Tendou would put his clothes.

It was Tendou’s favorite black hoodie. He would never leave it behind carelessly. 

Semi took it, burying his nose in it and noted that it smelled like Tendou.

“Dummy,” he said to himself. “Of course it smells like him.”

He gripped the fabric tightly, as if it could leave him anytime.

“Come back soon,” he whispered, inhaling the scent of the hoodie once more.

The scent was so  _ so  _ Tendou.


	6. Chapter 6

Semi tried.

He tried waiting patiently for Tendou to come back.

Semi went through the first day without him better than expected. Sure he was shocked and lonely and stuff, but it hadn’t hit him as hard as he thought it would. It _did_ make other people notice the situation, though.

He went to work in a bad mood, as nobody was there to cheer him up during the morning, nor to crack jokes along the way. He even accidentally made an extra plate for breakfast only to have it put away for later. He also subconsciously started preparing that and a second cup of coffee — one that had seven teaspoonfuls of sugar too much.

Anna and the others noticed the change in their boss’s attitude almost immediately. They connected the dots immediately the moment they saw there were no spiky redheads going around to greet the world with a smile and a bunch of jokes that would make people either cringe due to lameness or laugh so hard their stomach hurt.

Anna frowned as she saw Semi fish out a box of cigarettes out of his pocket during their break.

“I thought you quit,” she said, propping up her elbows on the counter. Semi didn’t look at her; he continued looking out of the window.

“I didn’t,” he said as he let out a puff of smoke. “I just didn’t smoke when he was around.”

Anna’s bottom lip extended over the top one, unsure of what to say. “So… you took him into consideration?”

“Yes.”

Semi’s curt answer was the cue to make her shut up, knowing that bringing up Tendou’s leaving made him uncomfortable. And _sad_.

It was just the first day, he wanted to think. He’d start coping up with it better the next days and later Tendou would just go and waltz in the pub and tell Semi all about his adventures until his ear fell off.

He stared blankly at the scenery out of the window. Tendou called him lame for not being able to appreciate the beauty of the place he lived in.

Maybe he’d go out and wander around to see what it had to offer.

Semi thought about if for a while, and decided to do it.

“Anna,” he said, knowing the woman would be near him.

She turned her head to look at him. “Yes?”

“I’ll take Friday off.”

He saw Anna blink owlishly in the corner of her eye. He frowned. “Is it so surprising?”

She tilted her head sideways, pursing her lips. “In a way it is.”

Semi knew it. It was pretty much uncharacteristic for him to take a day off for no important reason.

“I won’t take it off if you need me,” he said.

Anna shook her head frantically, raising her hands. “No, no! You’ve basically drowned yourself in work ever since you opened this up,” she said, trying to convince Semi that he really should go. “I can take care of it for a day. You go rest for a while.”

Semi let out a puff of smoke in her face, but he put out the cigarette after that.

“Thanks,” he said as he went back to the kitchen, not looking back.

He smiled.

 

 

Seeing the view in the form of pictures was beautiful, especially with Tendou’s skill, but Semi never thought it would be so breathtaking in person. The lake didn’t look that magnificent with a particularly cloudy reflection of the sky and the landscape was bathed in white snow — so unlike the fall scenery Tendou captured with his camera — but nonetheless _beautiful_.

Semi laughed at how contradicting his thoughts were.

He wanted to try and sit near the lake shore, but the cold wind made him think twice about it. The lake water was not warm enough to be played with, either. He pretty much settled for a stroll, despite the freezing temperature.

As he looked at the clear water he wondered where Tendou was at the moment. Was he still in the UK, or had he already left? Where would he be? Spain perhaps? He did say Semi should go with him there sometime.

Semi wondered how surprising it was that he missed Tendou so much he thought about him like _everyday_ ever since he left. It hadn’t been exactly a complete week but the absence was so _obvious_ he couldn’t help but think about it.

From time to time Ushijima would video call him, checking up on him. Even he didn’t know where Tendou was at the moment so they just both decided to hope he was okay and safe wherever he was. Apparently Ushijima was already used to that, since three years ago.

“Satori normally just enters your life like a whirlwind and then leaves the same way as he came,” Ushijima said, the same flat look on his face but Semi detected a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

They must have been _really_ close if they still kept in touch frequently despite the distance. Semi envied that. He envied the two for having such a great relationship when he never had one like that.

It’d be nice, he thought. It’d be nice to be like them.

“The way he entered mine wasn’t like that though,” Semi said, trying to lighten up the mood. “He was starving on my doorstep, and he had the guts to call himself a ‘camper guy’.”

Ushijima chuckled softly. “It is still as surprising as a whirlwind.”

“The guy didn’t even say good bye right at my face! He just left his favorite hoodie and a post-it saying he’ll be back.”

Semi noticed Ushijima blinking in surprise. For some reason the usually stoic man was pretty expressive when it came to his best friend. Tendou’s influence must have been the reason. Anna and the others noted that their boss changed, while not so drastically he became an entirely different person, he still changed a little bit.

They said he smiled a little bit more often, started doing some little things he usually wouldn’t do, overall, more _relaxed_.

If Tendou could change a man like Ushijima, it was no wonder he could change someone like Semi.

“He will come back,” Ushijima said. “If he did not plan to he would not have left anything important.”

“Is his hoodie _that_ important?” Semi asked, wanting to know how such a plain piece of clothing became Tendou’s favorite when he had a pretty nice taste in fashion — except for the time he dared to wear a horrendous lime green hoodie decorated in stars.

“Pretty much. He had it since high school. I still remember when we went clothes shopping with the whole team one weekend. I helped him pick it out.”

“Memories, huh? If I were him I’d never leave it behind.”

“He once left it behind here and returned for it after seven months.”

“Wait, seven months?” Semi couldn’t believe Tendou was able to part with his important thing for such a long time.

“Yes. Seven months. He said he could leave it behind without worrying too much since he knew I would take good care of it,” Ushijima said. “Though once in a while he would ask if it was okay.”

Semi didn’t know if he was to be happy Tendou trusted him enough for that or to be sad knowing it could take seven months or even _more_ before they could see each other in person again.

If Ushijima himself didn’t have contact with him, what about Semi?

“He will still come back for it,” Ushijima said. Semi snapped out of his thoughts, realizing his feelings had been too obvious.

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to doubt him so much,” he said.

Ushijima didn’t accept the apology. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”

It made Semi feel a little better, and both decided to lapse into a conversation about other stuff, putting aside the topic of Tendou.

 

 

Semi thought he would never feel so _lonely_ anymore after moving to Europe and leaving his family behind without any plan to contact them. He was ashamed he couldn’t be more than a pub owner, so he couldn’t face them. Sure, he was lonely for a long time, missing his family so much he regretted not talking to them but he still couldn’t bring himself to do it.

It took a long time for him to recover, and when he did, he chose not to form any close relationship so as to not hurt himself when one of them leave sometime.

He failed with Tendou.

He let the loneliness deep inside him take over and allow someone in. His plan backfired, and now it hurt a lot.

It had been two weeks since Tendou left, and while he tried waiting for him to come back — he had already prepared himself in case he returned after _seven_ months like Ushijima said — he still couldn’t help missing his company.

Tendou never called, not even once.

Semi knew it wasn’t supposed to be his business if Tendou wanted to go back there immediately or not, but he couldn’t help but worry.

Was he alright? Was he not starving to death somewhere?

Semi asked all of those questions to himself.

He once considered calling Tendou, though he backed out in case the other man didn’t want to talk for a while. Or maybe he was in the wilderness with no signal. The international fees were pretty costly too, so it would be better if Semi called when Tendou had internet connection.

Would he even be having it? If he had, he should have already called Ushijima.

Nonetheless, today he tried calling.

Tendou normally picked up on the third or fourth ring, so Semi had learned to wait.

It had been ringing for a while already but Tendou still hadn’t picked up. Semi tried again, and again.

Tendou never picked up.

Semi sighed, wondering why did he even care that much. Then again, he was lonely.

He laughed. “How stupid of me.”

He was about to call Tendou one more time when he received one instead, albeit it was from Ushijima.

“Yes?” he said.

“Hello Semi,” Ushijima said. “Has Satori contacted you or something?”

Semi furrowed his brows. “Not yet, why?”

“Oh. He sent me a text last night saying he had arrived in Valencia.”

Semi’s hunch about Tendou being in Spain was right. And even though he wouldn’t admit it aloud, his heart sank when he found out Tendou only bothered to talk with Ushijima.

“Did he say anythin’ else?” he said, hoping to know if at least Tendou was alright and stuff.

“No, he did not.”

“I see. Thanks for telling me.”

Semi didn’t really feel like talking anymore, so he apologized to Ushijima and dropped the call.

He needed a break from all that worrying.

 

 

The days passed so quickly it hd already been two months, but for Semi they had went by so slowly it was _agonizing_. The climate became warm enough to welcome back the flowers of spring and the weather was better. Semi sometimes went out during breaks to cool off his head, and to be honest he found the flowers beautiful for the first time.

He took out his phone and snapped a picture of them.

It was just a simple photo, capturing the view of the blooms without any special effect or setting to make it seem even more beautiful. For him, natural was enough.

Semi stared at the picture again. He thought natural was enough, but for some reason he didn’t feel satisfied with what he took.

He tried once more, starting to check out the angles, taking account when the wind blew and the position of the sun. He sometimes missed the correct timing and he ended up with plain pictures here and there, but in the end he got one that made him pretty satisfied.

The flowers were no longer completely visible, having been reduced to a black silhouette by the setting sun. A lucky light breeze made them sway in the red golden background.

Semi wondered if Tendou would be proud of the picture.

He stayed there a little bit longer, and only returned when it he noticed it was dinner time.

 

 

The third month rolled around and Semi had mostly gotten over missing Tendou. The formerly rare times he went out became frequent. They helped him relax.

“What happened t’you, Mr Eita?” Anna asked out of the blue one day. Semi nearly dropped his cigarette.

“What do you mean?” he said, eyebrows all scrunched up.

Anna put her hand on her chin. “You go out more often now. I get that you couldn’t during the first years and the past winter but now? Even if it were spring you’d just stay all cooped up here and smoke like a steam train.”

Semi shrugged. “I don’t know anymore.”

“Mr Satori’s influence, maybe?”

“I don’t know.”

“Months ago you missed him. Now?”

Semi pursed his lips. Anna raised a brow.

“I… kind of moved on?” Semi said, uncertain. His employee frowned. Semi was confused. “What?”

“Isn’t it a lil’ bit sad though?” she said. “When’s the last time you talked to each other?”

“The night before he left.”

“What?”

Anna gave him a perplexed look. Semi just returned her a flat stare.

“It’s true,” he said. “I haven’t heard from him since then. In fact, the only reason I know he’s in Peru’s ‘cause his best friend told me.”

Anna looked apologetic. Semi told her it was okay.

“If it wasn’t for Ushijima, I wouldn’t even have known he had been in Valencia, then Morocco, then St Johannesburg and as you know, Peru,” Semi continued.

“Isn’t it a bit horrible though?” Anna said, showing genuine concern.

Semi blew a puff of smoke at her. “I’m not someone who’d break because others ignored me.”

“Oh, I see,” Anna mumbled, before going back to work.

Semi appreciated her concern, and wished Tendou would appreciate his.

It would be nice if he received even a simple ‘thanks’.

 

 

May came by even faster than the earlier months — most probably because Semi had started not to miss Tendou that much and immersed himself in his work once more. He’d go out once in a while not to just take a stroll to relax, but also to talk with the townspeople.

They would mention Tendou every now and then, since the man had been friendly enough to be remembered, but Semi would no longer feel that pang of loneliness he usually felt whenever Tendou’s name was mentioned.

It was for the best, he thought. Two months wasn’t enough to make him as close as Ushijima is to Tendou.

Semi sometimes sent a message to Tendou to check on him, and as usual, he never got a reply. He wondered if Tendou changed numbers or something.

“Ushijima,” Semi said as soon as the man’s face came into the view. “Did Satori change his number recently?”

Ushijima tilted his head in confusion. “I don’t think so.”

“Then, why isn’t he replying to my messages?” Semi said.

The other man looked baffled, so he went to check his phone. When he read the number aloud Semi realized Tendou _indeed_ had changed his number.

“I think he mentioned something about dropping his phone in the water when he was in Valencia,” Ushijima said.

Semi felt stupid for getting angry at Tendou not responding to his calls when in reality he no longer had his number. On top of that, Tendou must have only remembered Ushijima’s number due to knowing each other for so long, and maybe the same thing happened before.

“I didn’t know that,” Semi said.

“Do you want me to give you his new number?” Ushijima asked.

“Sure. Okay. I’ll text him sometimes.”

“He will not mind it if you called.”

Semi was taken aback. “Uh, I just want to check on him sometimes,” he said as he saved the number Ushijima sent him.

“It’s the eighteenth of May today, right?”

“Yeah, and?”

“It’s his birthday on the twentieth. He might be coming back sooner than you think.”

Semi let out an awkward laugh. “R-Really? Why does it seem like birthdays and holidays are the only important days?”

He saw Ushijima look at his phone for a while, before responding, “He usually comes back here to celebrate even for a short time, but he said he might not be coming back this year.”

Semi wondered if it was time to get his hopes up.

“So, what did he say exactly?” Semi inquired.

“He did not say anything else, just that.”

“Perhaps he’s staying over a friend in the country he’s in?”

“Satori is in Istanbul right now.”

“Just how much money does he have to spend?” Semi said in disbelief. He knew the plane tickets cost a lot, especially when the countries have a long distance between them.

“He is… a little bit richer than most people — inheritance, but he just uses the money for his travels and camera equipment, nothing else,” Ushijima explained.

“He’s still wasting money that way!”

“He does it on a whim. I still do not understand how he can find enjoyment in that.”

Semi continued prying information about Tendou’s habits from Ushijima, and it didn’t seem like the other man minded it.

 

 

“We’re already closing for today, so please come back tomorrow,” Semi said when he heard the pub’s door opening as he made sure the place was clean.

“Uh, hey,” the stranger said, and when Semi turned to look at them he saw they weren’t a stranger at all.

He glanced at the calendar on the wall, then at the clock.

His gaze returned to look at the newcomer.

“Honestly, don’t think returning on your birthday would make me forgive you leaving without a word, damn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the long wait. I will do my best not to let it happen again (and improve the chapter quality too).


	7. Chapter 7

Tendou laughed nervously as he prepared to face Semi’s wrath. 

“Uh Semisemi, I’m so s—” 

“You better be!” Semi yelled. “I was so fucking worried when you just went and disappeared like that, plus you didn’t even tell me you broke your phone! You could’ve relayed the message through Ushijima!”

Tendou cowered in fear as Semi continued his rant. Semi didn’t care; Tendou deserved it so he didn’t stop. He didn’t do so until his voice became hoarse and his throat scratchy and dry. He also had the feeling Tendou’s ears were already ringing, but he gave no fucks about it.

He wondered if he reached the level of Tendou’s excited talking with Ushijima, except he was angry rather than excited to tell anything.

Sweat beaded Semi’s forehead when he finally decided to shut up. He panted heavily, his heart racing after unleashing the full brunt of his rage on the culprit.

Semi focused his gaze directly on Tendou’s eyes when the man glanced quickly at him, being unable to look Semi in the eye earlier out of guilt. He had been completely silent the whole time, lips pressed together and letting Semi say whatever he wanted.

Semi raised an eyebrow, waiting for Tendou’s response. 

However, Tendou’s reaction was rather unexpected for him.

Tendou’s eyes were watering and his lips were wobbly, like the cliché puppy look. His body started trembling, and he was staring directly at Semi. The other man began to panic; while he intended to give Tendou a piece of his mind he didn’t want to make him cry.

Besides, what kind of  _ grown man  _ cries so easily?

“H-Hey,” Semi said, awkwardly trying to prevent Tendou from crying. He didn’t want to handle any waterworks when he was already tired from the day’s work.

Tendou began sniffling. Semi didn’t really know what to do anymore.

“Look, I—” 

“Semisemi!” Tendou cried as he tackled Semi into a hug, surprising him.

“W-What?” Semi said, hands wide open and raised as if surrendering. He was preparing for the worst.

“You worried for me,” Tendou said, wiping away the snot that had dripped down from his nose with the sleeve of his jacket.

Semi broke away from the hug immediately and handed Tendou a tissue. It was gross.

Tendou blew his nose loudly, making Semi cringe.

“You’re... really gross,” Semi said.

Tendou laughed. “Sorry,” he said, wiping away the tears at the corner of his eyes. “I was just so happy. Nobody worried  _ that _ much for me except my family and Waka, and they’re people I’ve known for a long time. You’re not one of them.”

Reality hit Semi once more; technically, he had only known Tendou for two months yet he still got attached to him. 

He thought he had moved on after some time passed since Tendou leaving, yet when he saw Tendou once more it all just burst out.

It was scary.

“Yanno, I feel weirdly happy knowing you didn’t really hate me,” Tendou said, with a small and a little sombre smile.

Semi looked at him, confused.

“Sorry,” Tendou mumbled. “I grew too comfortable and did what I usually do to Waka — the leaving without a word thing.”

Tendou’s smile grew more awkward, so unlike his usual upside-down one. His eyes were flitting around the room. But Semi could feel the honest sincerity in Tendou’s apology, and when he thought about it, from another angle it was justified. Ushijima called him frequently when he was still staying over Semi’s, and with the amount of time he was there — Semi found out Tendou didn’t really stay in one single place for more than a week — maybe, just  _ maybe _ , he subconsciously thought Ushijima was there.  _ Maybe _ he was there with Ushijima, and it was him who took care of him.

Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t Ushijima. It was Semi.

But, did he just miss Ushijima and subconsciously imposed his person on Semi? Ushijima  _ did _ say Tendou normally doesn’t call when he’s on a trip where he’s constantly moving. Perhaps Tendou merely craved for contact with somebody from the same place as him? Direct contact, maybe?

All of those thoughts made Semi’s head spin. He didn’t even know why he thought about all that. He glanced at the clock and sighed.

“Let’s go back,” he said. “I don’t even know what I’m doing here this late.”

Tendou’s eyes brightened up, erasing all traces of the solemn look he had before. His usual grin appeared on his face again.

Semi didn’t really have enough energy to handle more stuff for the night, so he merely beckoned Tendou to follow him.

“How did you even know I was at the pub? You know I’m normally back by this hour,” Semi said. He  _ had  _ to know at least about that, despite the heavy feeling of tiredness looming over him.

Tendou hummed as they walked, it being the only other sound other than their footsteps and Tendou’s luggage being dragged around. 

“The lights were off and when I opened the door to check, you weren’t there,” Tendou said, matter of fact. Semi’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

“That’s bullshit! You still got the key?!” Semi said, completely horrified at the thought of Tendou still having the key to his house, knowing full well that the man could have lost it in another country.

“Uh… ayup, gesu…” Tendou said, and under the light of the street lamps Semi could see him looking away.

“You’re speaking weird, Satori,” Semi deadpanned, sending a flat look to Tendou’s direction.

“Ugh, you’re totally the same as Waka,” Tendou groaned.

“You have to hand in the key,” Semi said.

Tendou turned to him sharply. “What?!”

“I said you have to—”

“I heard it perfectly!” Tendou said. “But why?!”

“You could’ve lost it, then the one who finds it can make their way to my house and rob me of all my precious belongings.”

“As if people from other continents can do that!”

“ _ You’re _ from another continent too.”

“And you! Are you saying you should hand in the key too?”

“Are you stupid? I’m the owner of the house.”

Semi definitely won there. Tendou groaned and sulked for the rest of the way.

When they arrived, Semi took out his key to unlock the door, but the day’s fatigue finally caught up with him and he fumbled with the key, dropping it. He bent down to get it, and then he heard the lock clicking open.

He stood there and stared at the door for a while, despite Tendou giving him passage first. 

Semi sighed. “I think I’ll let it go for now.”

Tendou beamed at him.

 

 

Semi was jolted awake by his alarm clock as usual, and he got up groggily. He rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms before getting out of the bed.

“Mornin’ Semisemi,” Tendou said suddenly, making Semi jump in surprised.

“Wha—?” Semi said, before remembering that Tendou had come back.

The man was lying on his side next to where Semi had been, grinning like an idiot. His head was propped up by his arm and the other arm was on his hips — that much was what Semi could see of Tendou despite still being covered by the blanket.

“You still let me sleep beside you!” Tendou said, happy.

Semi scrunched his eyebrows. “Did I really allow you?”

“Yeah! You said the couch was uncomfortable for someone who had been travelling a lot so you allowed me.”

Semi scratched his head, unsure of what to believe. He instead opted to start getting ready and went to the bathroom. Tendou followed him.

“So, Semisemi, notice something different?” Tendou said as he put toothpaste on his toothbrush. 

Semi looked at him, trying to see what Tendou was talking about. Tendou was in his boxers, just like Semi, and for some reason, Tendou was flexing the arm he was using a little bit  _ too _ much.

“You’re sunburned?” Semi said after he spit out the toothpaste and rinsed his mouth with water, smirking in secrecy as he really knew what Tendou wanted him to notice. Tendou looked at him in shock.

“Is that really the first thing you notice about me?!” Tendou said, nearly choking on his toothpaste and spit.

Semi nodded. “Your back’s like, completely red.”

Tendou spat out the contents of his mouth in precaution for future actions. He scratched his chin. “I went swimming in Cape Town and got sunburned as a result.”

“You’re one of those who doesn’t tan, huh,” Semi commented, poking at the one big red splotch on Tendou’s back. Tendou yowled and and winced, glaring at Semi.

“I went swimming in Peru too, okay? So I got sunburned there too and I couldn’t apply aloe vera that much while I was there since I was constantly moving,” Tendou said, rubbing his burn gently. “Pass me the aloe vera over there, will ya?”

Semi tossed it to Tendou and he caught it smoothly. “I’ll make breakfast,” Semi said.

Tendou gave him a thumbs-up as he covered his palm in ointment.

Several seconds later Semi started wondering if the one in his bathroom was a wolf or a person with all that howling.

He laughed. The house felt warmer, louder, and it was just right.

Tendou got out of the bathroom around fifteen minutes later, eyes red from tearing up as he applied the aloe vera on his back. Semi beckoned him to eat with an amused smile, and Tendou whined at him.

“You shouldn’t make fun of other people’s suffering, Semisemi,” Tendou said with mouthful of food. He sipped some of his coffee to help him swallow, then he paused for a while. Semi looked at him, silently asking what was wrong.

“The coffee, it’s just how I like it,” Tendou said, squinting at his mug. He turned to Semi with a gasp. “You remembered?!”

“Uh, yeah? I mean, how can I forget about somebody with such unhealthy and on top of that,  _ bad _ , taste? Coffee’s meant to be drank without sugar or anything else,” Semi said as he sipped his own black coffee — no sugar, no milk, no cream. He could see Tendou cringing as he did so.

“That’s absolutely  _ disgusting _ ! Aren’t your taste buds ruined?” Tendou said as Semi emptied the last of his mug’s contents.

“They’re completely fine, thank you for worrying, noodle,” Semi said.

“Semisemi!” Tendou whined. “I’m  _ not _ a noodle! But hey, you said I’m no longer a twig.”

“Yeah, that’s why I said you’re a noodle. Long limbs and all. Noodle with gravity defying hair. Sunburned noodle.”

Tendou fake cried at his statement. “How you hurt me, Semisemi.”

Semi hit the back of Tendou’s head lightly. “Finish up. We’ve got work.”

“On my birthday?!”

“Yeah. No cutting corners.”

“Fuck you.”

“Fuck you too.”

 

 

“Mr Satori?” Anna said, nearly dropping her bag when she walked into the pub. Tendou gave her a big smile and said ‘yup’.

Anna looked at Semi, like she couldn’t believe Tendou was back all of a sudden. Semi sighed and shrugged his shoulders. 

“He just appeared all of a sudden last night,” Semi said.

“Mr Satori, you should at least contact us or something! Even if you’re coming back! Mr Eita worried so much about you!” Anna said, grabbing Tendou’s forearms with what Semi thought was insane grip.

He mentally told the man’s forearms to rest in peace.

“Ow ow! I’m so sorry Anna! I won’t do it again!” Tendou said, tears pooling in the corner of his eyes due to the pain. He had rolled up his sleeves, so Semi could see the skin around Anna’s grip turning blue.

“Anna, we still need his arms. Don’t break them off,” Semi said. Anna released her death hold. Tendou looked at Semi with immensely grateful eyes.

“So,” Tendou said after Anna started focusing on her work, “apparently that ‘worry’ thing was real.”

“What else did you expect?” Semi didn’t really get why Tendou didn’t believe him completely.

“You don’t look like one who worries for others,” Tendou said.

“I know.”

“You still worried.”

“I know.”

 

 

Semi did Tendou a favor and whipped up a feast at the end of the day, when most people had already finished work so they could visit. The other employees — they started working full-time since they liked Tendou’s company a lot when he was there — were pretty much overjoyed to have him back, claiming that Semi was ‘too grumpy for them to handle’. Semi shut them up with a sharp glare, but later on he just laughed it off. 

“Hey Semisemi, do I get a gift?” Tendou said as he helped clean up.

Semi shook his head. “I didn’t even know today’s your birthday.”

Tendou laughed heartily, nearly dropping leftovers on the floor. Semi hit his head lightly.

“Nah, Waka told me you just found out two days ago.”

“And technically you still arrived on the nineteenth, so it was only  _ one  _ day.”

They lapsed into silence, and Semi found it weird. He expected Tendou to have a comeback and keep the lively mood in the air. The rest of the people had already gone home so it was quiet. The others didn’t want to go home that early, but Semi judged them as too drunk to do anything productive so he forced them to go. 

He didn’t drink that much — booze wasn’t exactly his favorite, but he dealt with it just not to spoil the mood. Apparently, Tendou preferred other types of alcohol so he didn’t drink that much either.

Despite that, Tendou wasn’t saying that much, unlike what Semi expected.

“Hey,” he said, waving in front of Tendou. “Are you still there?”

Tendou blinked owlishly. It was obvious that he had been spacing out.

“Y-Yeah,” he replied. He scratched his head. “Sorry. Am I a bother?”

“No. Not really.” Semi found the question weird. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothin’. Just asking.” Tendou went back to washing the dishes, cringing from time to time. Semi laughed at him — despite the day being Tendou’s birthday, he had been unlucky enough to lose to Semi in rock-paper-scissors so he had to do the dishes. Tendou side-glanced at him with a tight lipped smile.

“Meanie,” Tendou said, and Semi could see him preparing to hurl the leftovers of the plate he was currently washing.

“Satori,” Semi said with a warning tone. “If you  _ ever _ try to throw them at me, I’m not letting you in my house. And I’m going to make you clean up the whole pub.”

Tendou clicked his tongue, slumping his shoulders as he threw the gross remnants of a meal into the bin. “I wanted a food fight.”

“I’m not having a food fight with  _ that _ ,” Semi said, making a face.

“Whatever,” Tendou said. He then casually flung a small piece of bread at Semi. Unfortunately for him, Semi easily dodged it. Semi thanked his alertness for that.

“Piece of shit,” he growled and threw the rag he was using to wipe the stove. Tendou expertly dodged it.

“You can’t hit me,” Tendou said, sticking his tongue out. Semi forced him to retract it by threatening him with a frying pan.

“Don’t play around! I’ll still hit you even if it’s your birthday!”

Tendou groaned. “Boring old man.”

“ _ You’re _ the old man here. You reached thirty first.”

“I didn’t! Hayato reached it first!”

“That Hayato ain’t here though.”

“I hate you.”

“Just clean up, dammit.”

 

 

“Woah! Tendou exclaimed as his phone started ringing with the amount of messages he was receiving. “What’s this?” he said to Semi, who was holding his own.

“An eye for an eye,” Semi said, not looking up. “Your gift. But not developed. Of worse quality than yours too.”

Tendou opened his inbox and gasped at the photos. “Did you take them yourself?”

“Yeah. I took some days off to do that,” Semi said. “Took your advice. It helped.”

All the air in Semi’s lungs were squeezed out by a bear hug that came from nowhere — better say, from his side. Semi would have fallen down already if it weren’t for the support of the couch’s armrest, but it was really painful as his ribs sank on the soft material and hit the metal.

“S-Satori,” he choked out. “Geroff.”

“No.”

“I ca—” Semi started wheezing, unable to continue being oxygen-deprived.

“Oh shit you should’ve told me earlier.”

“I tried to.” Semi hit the back of Tendou’s head lightly. 

“I was too happy to notice,” Tendou laughed. Semi sighed and patted his back.

“‘Kay, ‘kay, I get it, birthday boy.” Semi smiled warmly at the sight in front of him.

Tendou was sniffing due to joy, with some side remarks about how it was creepy that Semi’s gift could actually be ‘an eye for an eye’. He also made some comments about the topics, and swore he would visit the places he didn’t recognize.

“You should come with me. Give me a tour,” Tendou said.

“Hmmm. When?” Semi said, looking at the calendar near his TV.

“Tomorrow? Next week? Whenever you’re most free, workaholic.”

“I’m making  _ you _ choose, idiot, so go ahead and pick.”

“Tomorrow then,” Tendou said, and with that he went and plugged every single battery charger he had. He gave Semi a thumbs-up with a big grin.

“You’re paying part of my electricity bills,” Semi said, frowning at the sheer amount of stuff Tendou was charging — the batteries of his cameras, his phone and his laptop.

“Sure thingy. I’ll be overstepping boundaries if I don’t,” Tendou said.

“Good,” Semi said. “Oh, and when are you planning to go on another trip?”

He could see Tendou jolting. Tendou turned to him awkwardly, with a little bit of nervousness in his movements.

“Do you want me to leave already?”

Semi facepalmed. He did  _ not _ intend for the question to come out like that.

“No! I was just asking!” Semi said immediately, ears starting to turn pink. “You just disappear all of a sudden so I wanted to be prepared. Who the hell just leaves without saying a word?!”

Tendou’s mouth formed an ‘o’, before contorting into his usual upside-down smile. “I dun know yet. But wanna join me?”

“I’m not joining you until I know how long the trip will be and where,” Semi said. He thought about it some time ago and decided he’d try to accompany Tendou sometime. A break in another place would be quite nice too.

Tendou laughed at him, clutching his stomach. “Geez you’re so cautious. Alrighty, I’ll ask you again when I have a destination in mind already, though I think for the next trip I won’t know yet.”

Semi gave him a weird look. “Who the hell doesn’t plan their trip properly?!”

“Me? I just like, randomly pick a flight available at a time and fly away,” Tendou said, eyes looking up and scratching his chin. “It’s wonderful, like you’re going on an adventure. ‘Course that’s only when I don’t have clients.” He then looked down dejectedly. “Unfortunately, that’s most of the time.”

“Are you for real? Don’t waste money like that,” Semi said, surprised and a little bit annoyed at the money part.

“I’ve got tons, so no thank you,” Tendou said, and Semi’s irritation increased some more with the guy’s attitude. 

“Fine, Mr Rich Old Man,” Semi said with a heavy sigh, trying to ignore Tendou for a while and release the irritation he didn’t feel for quite some time. It usually only happens with Tendou. “We’ve got a trip planned for tomorrow so go to sleep already.”

Tendou’s head turned to Semi so sharply they both heard a loud crack.

“Owie,” Tendou winced. “But wait, were you annoyed by the money talk?”

“Yeah, so shut up. Sleep on the couch.”

“Semisemi!”

“Sorry I’m poorer than you so I can’t afford such luxuries.”

“Hey! I wasn’t bragging!”

“Shut up, trash.”

“Even if I’m trash I’m still a nice one.”

“Gross. How was I able to sleep with such a dirty thing.”

“Haha. Very funny. Now forgive me please.”

Semi didn’t bother replying. “Just go to sleep already. You’ll need energy for tomorrow.”

“So you’re not angry?” Tendou said. It was close to a whimper. Semi cringed at such action coming from a grown man.

“I wasn’t. Now sleep,” Semi said as he tossed a pillow and some blankets.

Tendou smiled at him. “Then, night night, Semisemi.”

Semi turned off the lights.


	8. Chapter 8

“Woah.” Tendou gasped as he stared at the great expanse in front of him, mouth slightly open, with his camera hanging from his neck, forgotten.

Semi knew that feeling. It was the very same one he felt when he first saw it. Tendou was right on how he didn’t really bother to stop and take a break to appreciate the beauty of his surroundings.

Semi let Tendou continue staring, letting the man take his time. Tendou would most likely complain if Semi interrupted his ‘appreciation of surroundings’, as Tendou called it before once.

The wind blew and then he heard a buzzing sound and thought it was time for Tendou to close his mouth. Semi wouldn’t appreciate it if Tendou ended up choking on a fly. Plus it was gross.

“Satori, close your mouth or a fly can get in,” he said, tapping the man on the shoulder.

Tendou clamped his mouth shut and gave Semi a _you’re so gross_ look. Then he started giggling. “Perhaps, Semisemi… did a fly get in yours before?”

Semi blushed furiously. “What the fuck? I _didn’t_!”

Tendou cackled. “Just jokin’! Don’t take it too seriously. Seriously.”

“It’s still not funny,” Semi grumbled, crossing his arms and frowning at Tendou. Why did he accompany him again?

Tendou knelt and started rummaging through his bag, his camera held with one hand now rather than simply hanging from his neck. He got a small bag with a sort of short cylindrical shape, muttering about something related to the wind. He looked up at Semi.

“Mr Grumpy-pants, a little help here?”

“Don’t call me ‘Mr Grumpy-pants’. And what do you want me to do?” Semi said, furrowing his brows as Tendou took out the item inside the small bag — a short camera lens.

“Unscrew the cover but don’t remove it immediately. Once I say so, give it to me uncovered and quickly screw the cover over the one I’m giving to you,” Tendou said, showing Semi the parts he had to focus on.

Semi nodded in understanding. He did as Tendou told him.

Tendou’s hands were quick and Semi had to give him the lens immediately. The wind blew again and Tendou muttered a curse under his breath. But still, the job only took seconds to complete.

“Is changing lenses that hard?” Semi asked, being one who had no clue about photography.

Tendou gave him a crooked grin. “With wind and dust in the air, it’s troublesome. If dust gets into the camera you’ll see it when you peer into the viewfinder, completely ruining the picture. Also it’s a pain to clean.”

“That part,” Semi pointed at the small square of glass at the upper part of the camera, “is called a viewfinder?”

“Yeah, why? I mean, it’s obvious.”

“I’m used to phone cameras.”

“Oh? So you haven’t actually used a real camera?”

“No.”

Tendou scratched his chin, then fished out the thing he was keeping in a long thin bag — Tendou said it a tripod when Semi asked — slung over his shoulder along with his backpack. Semi would never understand how photographers could manage so much stuff just to get a good picture.

“Let me guess, you’re wondering how us photographers could stand having so much stuff to get a single picture?” Tendou said out of the blue as he set his camera on top of the tripod.

“Does it show on my face?” Semi asked.

“Kind of. You always have that scrunched-up face when you wonder about something.”

“Really? I didn’t know.”

“Well, can you even see your own face with your own eyes?”

“That’s physically impossible unless with the help of a mirror or something reflective.”

“Do you look at a mirror every time you wonder about somethin’?”

“Not really.”

“Then you’d never know you got that face.” Tendou tried turning something in the tripod one last time before giving it a satisfied look and peering into the part he called ‘viewfinder’. He then turned to Semi. “Now, look. Use the camera to see this.”

Semi obeyed.

And he was left mesmerized.

Tendou had positioned the camera in one that captured the whole view in front of them. The lake reflected the morning sunny sky and the flowers were swaying in the breeze.

“Try pressing the shutter release,” Tendou whispered into Semi’s ear, guiding Semi’s hand to the proper place.

“This?” Semi asked, tapping the small cold metal circle he was feeling under his index finger without looking away.

“Yeah, that one. Just press it until you hear the click.”

Semi pressed it lightly, in fear of doing it too hard and didn’t hear the click. He heard Tendou’s chuckle instead.

“A little bit more force, but not too much,” Tendou said.

Semi added a little bit more force, just like how Tendou told him. This time he heard the click.

“Now you can unglue yourself from the camera.”

“I wasn’t glued to it.”

“It seemed like you were.”

“I wasn’t.”

Tendou then gestured for Semi to check out his picture. Semi stared at the black screen.

“You know you have to press the play button to see it, right?” Tendou said, a hint of confusion in his voice.

“Sorry for not knowing how to use cameras,” Semi said through gritted teeth, but he still pressed the right button.

The picture showed up right after. Semi looked at it, tight lipped. “It’s… nice.”

“Yeah. It’s a nice one. That’s a big step you’ve already taken there, Semisemi.” Tendou grinned at him, before moving the tripod to a different spot.

“I didn’t pick the angle though. I just pressed the shutter,” Semi said as he followed Tendou.

Tendou looked back at him, head tilted and lips forming a small pout. “You still took the picture. And it’s a great one.”

Semi wasn’t sure what to _really_ feel — if he should be happy or bashful or what — but he _was_ sure his lips were forming a small smile.

He didn’t know whether it was because he was proud of himself or maybe because a photographer called his picture — which wasn’t really his — nice, but he smiled.

The wind blew again, making the flowers sway once more, and Semi heard a click.

  


Semi thought Anna’s gaze was going to make a hole through his head. She had been staring at the back of his head from the very moment she followed Semi and Tendou into the pub after Semi opened it.

“One meat pie for Table One!” Semi called out. Anna was the waitress who took it.

She still stared intently at Semi, though this time it was directly at his face. It was making Semi more and more unnerved.

He grabbed her shoulder quickly before she left. “Let’s talk during the break.”

Anna simply gave him a toothy grin and went to Table One. The four customers sitting there cheered loudly as their food finally arrived.

Semi went back to cooking, looking at all the orders hanging and waiting to be done. Tendou slipped into the kitchen, peeking over Semi’s head as Semi worked on the entree for another table.

Semi had no trouble detecting the looming presence behind his back. “What do you want, Satori?”

“How did you even know it was me?” Tendou said as he went to Semi’s side to see better.

“You’re the only one who’s taller than me here.” Semi finished the entree. “Now serve this to Table Four.”

He didn’t need to look at Tendou to see his smile. “Alrighty. If you need more help in the kitchen I’m more than willing.”

“Do your job on the floor first since it’s lunch time and there’s a bunch of hungry people out there.”

“Yessir.”

Tendou exited the kitchen with long strides and the food tray held high with one hand. If it weren’t for the amount of orders Semi had to handle at the moment, he would have hit Tendou already and made him walk more carefully. That food was his hard work, damn! Semi made Tendou a waiter since he was tired of nearly burning food, but he was starting to think it was a bad idea.

Semi took a deep breath and made sure this time he wouldn’t let himself be distracted with silly things like Anna’s unnerving stare and Tendou’s careless stride.

And he felt like collapsing when the last of the customers left the pub. The employee working with him in the kitchen — Nick Green — called dibs on the majority of the chairs, forming them into a line to accommodate him and started napping on them. The other employees, plus Tendou, scrambled for the remaining ones.

“You said we’d be talking, Mr Eita,” Anna said as she leaned on the counter, eyes drooping slightly due to exhaustion.

Semi nodded. “Why were you staring at me earlier?”

He didn’t get a reaction from her for a moment or two, then she burst out laughing.

“Oh sorry,” she said as she wiped tears away from her eyes. “It’s just… you were in a different mood than normal and I wanted to find out why.”

Semi blinked owlishly. “Come again?”

“Okay, I was gobsmacked since never had I saw you in such good mood during mornings. What happened with him?” Anna had a sly grin as she tilted her head at Tendou’s direction, who had settled for lying face down on a line of chairs, which was about two or three chairs short for him, snoring softly.

Semi looked up at the ceiling. “Nothing special.”

“Hmmm…” It was obvious from her tone that Anna wasn’t convinced. “Tell me what you did. Every. Single. Detail.”

Semi sighed in defeat, since he knew perfectly Anna would never stop nagging him once he refused. And so he did tell her.

Anna’s sly grin doubled in size when he finished his story about Tendou teaching him how to use DSLR cameras and how they spent the day taking pictures of the place and how he helped Tendou with developing his photos since he took some with his film camera for what he said ‘somehow nostalgic effect’. Semi didn’t really understand that so he didn’t pry further.

Semi frowned as Anna started giggling. When he asked her why she was giggling, she just gave him a useless answer.

“Nah, nothing.”

  


Tendou hit the couch like a sack when they got back to Semi’s house, beating Semi to it.

“Hey!” Semi exclaimed and tried to push Tendou out of his couch, but since Tendou had bulked up a lot during his travels, he was no longer light enough for Semi to move so easily.

Tendou laughed — in way a villain would in a film — and sat up. Semi dove for the space Tendou had left vacated.

“I built some muscle during my travels, yanno?” He flexed his biceps, but Semi had to admit, he wasn’t completely fazed since he had seen better muscles in other people — for example, Tendou’s own best friend, through the webcam.

“And?” Semi said, interested to know what else Tendou would add to his story.

“Well… like you saw before, I got sunburned.”

“Yeah, your back looks awful.”

“Shut up. Now, I brought some souvenirs for you, actually.” Tendou rummaged through his suitcase and fished out a small bag. He handed it to Semi.

Semi opened it and found refrigerator magnets from the places Tendou had been to. Tendou also handed him a plastic bag with a colorful something in it. It was a rug. And it was pretty nice, if Semi was to give his opinion.

“I got that one in Morocco. T’was pretty hard to get one for a reasonable price, but I think it’ll be nice to add something colorful here.” Tendou gestured to his surroundings, and earned a light hit from Semi.

“Thanks,” Semi said, smiling. “Though don’t make more remarks about how dull my house looks like.”

Tendou then passed him two bottles — one white wine, one red. “White’s called Mistela and red’s Bobal. Bobal wine grapes only grow in Valencia so it’s pretty special.”

He then fished another bottle from the small — and only — suitcase he brought. “It’s Amarela liqueur. It’s great too.” He grabbed a small box from in it too. “This one contains soda can art. Bought from a local street market.”

“Soda can… art?” Semi said, intrigued. He opened it and revealed a figure of a gecko. And just like Tendou said, it was made from soda cans.

“Pretty cool, huh,” Tendou said with a smug grin.

“Don’t tell me you’ve got more,” Semi said, because he was also intrigued on how Tendou could bring him back so much stuff with so little luggage.

Tendou laughed. “I got that suitcase precisely for the souvenirs.”

“Woah, thanks,” Semi said, surprised.

True enough, the majority of the souvenirs were stored in the suitcase. Tendou said it was helpful because he didn’t have to carry it, and since it wasn’t a carry-on luggage, he could store all his alcohol there. He did have some trouble when he was constantly on the move, but he reassured Semi it was worth it.

“It’s… like, to make up for being a dick to you. After all, Waka told me you were worried, but I couldn’t contact you since… well, I dropped my phone in the water when I was in Valencia and I couldn’t remember your number.”

“You do know you could just have asked Ushijima,” Semi said.

“Whenever I got the time to talk to him I always got carried away talking about my adventures so…”

“You big oaf.”

Tendou passed Semi a purple alpaca poncho, and it was really _really_ warm. Semi received Turkish Delight — Tendou made him try out the rose flavored one and Semi liked it — along with a Turkish tea set.

“The tea set’s pretty, right?” Tendou said, throwing in a wink.

“Was it necessary, though?” Semi asked, since with the suitcase filled with three bottles of alcohol, a rug that was considerably large sized, a wool poncho that fit Semi, with the five boxes of Turkish Delight — Tendou liked them and since there weren’t much in one box he bought five — and a tea set, it must have been quite heavy. Tendou got souvenirs for Ushijima too, but he had already sent them by post. Why Tendou didn’t send Semi’s the same way remained a mystery for him.

“Istanbul was my last stop before returning here, okay? So it was fine,” Tendou said, and Semi decided not to say more about it.

“Though really, thanks a lot. It was nice of you,” Semi said. “And your dickness is forgiven.”

Tendou laughed, then he grabbed his laptop, switching it on and going to the folder where his photos were. “Wanna see the pictures I took? They’re the reason I travel.”

Semi gave him a flat look, but agreed anyway. “If your pictures aren’t interesting I’m heading off to bed.”

“Yes they are,” Tendou said confidently. “And instead, you’ll feel like you were there.”

One click sounded through the silence, and Semi met the sight of the the Valencian night, with an ellipsoid shaped building being reflected on the dark water with no ripples. It resembled an eye.

Semi felt like he was there standing on the other side of the water, staring at the building, which, together with its reflection, resembled an eye.

Tendou showed him more pictures of the same building taken from different angles. They were equally beautiful. Some of them had Tendou himself posing, others showed the companions he met there.

They were all smiling happily, with no care in the world. Despite the darkness, their smiles still remained very bright. Semi felt a tinge of envy. He’d like to be like that once in a while.

Another click and Semi nearly got blinded with the bright colors of the beach.

He hit Tendou, who was giggling beside him, for that. Tendou’s giggling wasn’t stopped, though.

Semi thought Tendou had done pretty stupid things during the day, like making sure George Williams snorted wasabi — Tendou got the nerve to steal some from Semi’s personal stash — and changing the salt for sugar when Semi was making a snack — Semi noticed it early on but proceeded on finishing the snack and gave it to Tendou, who coughed it out.

What he did that night though, was even more stupid.

Semi didn’t know what made him do it, and hell he was sure he didn’t really have a reason — or maybe he did? — but whatever it was, Semi felt like a complete idiot.

He pressed his lips against Tendou’s and effectively shut him up, albeit in a stupid way.

However, before long, he pulled away immediately and clicked the mouse to see the next picture, face completely red.

“Se—”

“Not a word.”

It was evident in Semi’s tone he didn’t want Tendou to speak. He didn’t even look at him, opting to stare at the laptop screen.

“Just continue. But not a word about that.”

“It was nice, but a little bit lacking,” Tendou said, and next thing Semi knew, Tendou closed the gap between them.

Tendou took advantage of Semi’s shock and used his tongue to pry open Semi’s lips. He paused for a while when his tongue hit the front row of Semi’s teeth. He gazed directly at Semi’s eyes, and there was something in his look that made Semi unable to refuse the silent order Tendou was giving him.

 _Let me enter_.

Their tongues entwined, with Tendou doing more of the job. Semi felt himself melt into the kiss, allowing Tendou to do what he wanted — licking, tasting, sucking on anywhere he pleased. Semi noticed Tendou moved away his laptop, the heat from the device leaving Semi’s lap and instead replaced by Tendou’s hand. Tendou’s other hand was on Semi’s back, lightly guiding him to lie down on the couch and then Tendou was on top of him.

Semi wasn’t going to deny he liked the kiss, but he felt stupid for not being able to do anything except moan.

They parted once Semi’s back hit the couch, both gasping for breath. Semi stared at Tendou, but his vision was fuzzy and he could only notice a dark figure dipping to his side.

“Do you want to…?” Tendou said in his ear, his voice a low whisper. Tendou had a knee planted in between Semi’s legs, rubbing against his groin.

As hot as he was feeling at the time, Semi placed a hand on Tendou’s chest and pushed him away lightly. Tendou stood up, offering a hand to help Semi up.

“Sorry, I’m… just too tired right now. Not that it was your fault, but I’d probably get knocked out before we even started,” Semi said. He wanted it, if he were to be honest, but fatigue was catching up and it ruined his mood.

Tendou chuckled. “Nah, it’s okay. But say, the kiss wasn’t lacking, right?”

Semi stared for a while at empty space, before saying, “It wasn’t.”

Tendou beamed at him. “Say, how about I bring my laptop instead to work tomorrow so the others can also see the photos? Then don’t overwork yourself so we can pick-up from where we left today.”

“Sure,” Semi said. “But I’m topping this time.”

Tendou whined.

  


The moment break time rolled around, Tendou immediately took out his laptop and announced his grand presentation of photos. And everybody else was equally mesmerized as Semi.

Anna wouldn’t stop glancing at both Semi and Tendou throughout the presentation, though.

  


Tendou was _aggressive_. It was obvious from his actions that he wasn’t in the mood to bottom. To be honest, Semi was part serious and part teasing him, since Tendou wasn’t all that bad. But Semi was still a man and he needed to take the male part sometimes.

Semi nibbled on Tendou’s lower lip, catching Tendou’s attention, and broke the kiss. Tendou dipped his head to reinitiate another one, but Semi put a hand in between them. Tendou opted for Semi’s neck.

“I thought I was going to top today.”

Tendou whined against Semi’s throat. But Tendou’s hands, which were unbuttoning Semi’s pants, were showing no signs of stopping.

Semi sighed and decided to go with the flow this time, but he was going to make sure Tendou promised to bottom for him. If Tendou didn’t want to bottom, he shouldn’t have mentioned he did sometimes.

Tendou pulled down Semi’s pants — a little bit too harshly but Semi ignored it — and dragged his underwear along. Tendou then knelt on the bed, rising up, to unbutton his own pants and the moment he unzipped them, Semi burst out into laughter.

“Are those One Piece boxers?” he said in between gasps, nearly choking on his own saliva.

Tendou gave him an unimpressed look and whipped out his hard-on and rolling the condom on it, before pouring a generous amount of lube on it, and two of his fingers. He inserted one inside Semi’s hole and made Semi moan in surprise, ending his laughter.

“Hey!” Semi exclaimed, but Tendou added a second finger without a word immediately and began scissoring Semi open.

Semi grasped Tendou’s arm — the one that he was using to support himself — and dug his nails in it as he hissed. Tendou added a third finger, using the lube of the first two to enter effortlessly and after a while, he withdrew all three.

Semi was left with a feeling of emptiness before he felt his hole being stretched even more and Tendou slammed against him, making Semi’s head hit the headboard.

“That’s what you get for laughing at my boxers, Eita-kun,” he said in a low voice, with a small crooked grin and droopy eyes, as he removed his t-shirt.

Semi gritted his teeth and made sure to tighten around Tendou.

“Ow ow ow! Alright, forgive me!” Tendou said, and Semi relaxed a bit.

“That was for making my head hit the headboard,” Semi said, and Tendou pulled him closer.

Tendou set a quite slow pace, to get Semi adjusted to his size before starting to thrust into Semi faster, sucking at Semi’s neck as he did so. Semi’s hands made their way to Tendou’s back, nails digging into it and drawing blood as Tendou thrusted faster.

Semi’s breath hitched when he felt Tendou’s handing snaking in between them, grabbing Semi’s hard length and pumping it.

“Fuck!” Semi hissed, his hand leaving Tendou’s back and opting to claw at Tendou’s arm instead. Tendou wasn’t even fazed and continued pounding into him, with Semi rolling his hips to meet every thrust.

Tendou started pumping Semi’s cock even faster. Semi came undone in just a few seconds.

Tendou didn’t stop his thrusts. He pressed his lips along the side of Semi’s neck, nipping at it as he went down and reached Semi’s collar. He stared at Semi’s eyes directly for a few seconds, then sank his teeth on Semi’s collarbone.

Semi’s hand went for Tendou’s hair, gripping it harshly as he winced in pain, his back arching as much as possible with Tendou still on top of him.

He then felt Tendou come, the warmth penetrating the rubber barrier. Tendou carelessly flopped next to Semi, lips slightly stained with blood.

“Fuck, that was hot,” Tendou panted, eyes hooded.

“Yeah…” Semi couldn’t say anything else, exhaustion taking its toll on him. Despite that, he decided he’d clean himself up first, as he was sure it would be a pain scrubbing off dried come.

He was stopped by Tendou’s hand. “I’ll do it.”

Semi let him.

He fell asleep as Tendou wiped off the come on his stomach with a warm wet cloth.

  


Semi had already known his neck would be covered in hickeys again, as he remembered the night before very clearly. Now his greatest problem would be hiding it. It was already spring, so a scarf wouldn’t suffice.

He settled for a plain gray turtleneck sweater to hide it, but knowing how hot it could get in the kitchen, he had to ask Tendou to be a cook for a while.

“Just _don’t_ burn food,” Semi said. Tendou nodded furiously, but Semi won’t be surprised if Tendou started scampering around the kitchen to save the food from burning at the very last moment.

Tendou then paused for a while, about to bite his toast. “Hey, would you get mad if like… I said I’d be leaving in a few days?”

Semi stopped sipping his coffee. He looked at Tendou, mildly surprised. Tendou wasn’t meeting his look, and was fidgeting nervously.

Semi sighed. “I won’t.”

Tendou’s expression brightened.

“In fact I’m pleased you actually told me _before_ you left,” Semi continued. “Don’t just go and leave vague messages.”

Tendou scratched his head, laughing sheepishly. “I’m really really _really_ sorry about that.”

“Moving on, where are you going?”

“I got a request from a client, so maybe I’d be heading to the Alps. It’s getting warmer too so I’ve been thinking about heading north too.”

“For how long are you going to be gone?”

“Oh… that, I don’t know.”

Semi expected that already.

“Since it’s your job I don’t have any right to stop you, but still, _call_ ,” Semi said, or more like, ordered. “I’ve worried enough the last time you left. I didn’t know if you were okay or you’ve already drowned in a ditch somewhere. So call. Tell me. I’m tired of knowing everything only when I ask Ushijima.”

Tendou blinked owlishly. His lips formed a tight smile.

“I will.”

  


Four days later, Semi caught Tendou trying to sneak out way before the crack of dawn.

“You coming back?” Semi asked, even though he had already taken a quick peek in his wardrobe and kitchen to know Tendou had left his hoodie and the same message again.

“Yeah, but I don’t know when,” Tendou said, after getting over his shock of Semi finding him out.

“At least before you leave, let me see you off.”

“Gee Semisemi, that’s exactly why I _don’t_ wake you up.”

“Whatever,” Semi said, laughing softly. “See you again?”

Tendou smiled warmly, eyes crinkling. “See you again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry this is so late. Really.


	9. Chapter 9

“What do you mean, you ate a fucking _bug_?” Semi nearly shrieked into his phone, grabbing the attention of the people around him. Anna gave him an annoyed look, gesturing to him to lower his voice

Semi apologized. He then returned his focus to his conversation partner. He thought he couldn’t be serious, but the awkward laughter coming out of his phone said otherwise.

“ _Haha, I tried copying Bear Grylls but I swear I will never do that again,”_ Tendou said in a shivery voice.

“It’s a different thing if it’s properly prepared and cooked, but knowing you I doubt it,” Semi said.

Tendou sighed. “ _I gathered all my willpower and manliness but they’re not enough_. _However I found out crickets have quite the nutty taste. Still they're gross._ ”

“Was the bug even safe?”

“ _Yeah. It’s a safe cricket. I know at least that much ‘cuz I studied some biology back then. You know, survival stuff_.”

“Survival stuff my ass. If you end up killing yourself by eating something you shouldn’t just because they look like something safe, I’m reviving you—”

“ _Oh I love you Semisemi!_ ”

“—fuck you let me finish first. Now where was I? Oh, if you end up killing yourself by eating something you shouldn’t just because they look like something safe, I’m reviving you and kill you myself.”

“ _I take my words back. I hate you._ ”

“Good, ‘cuz I’ll hate you more.”

“ _So harsh_.”

Tendou continued on how he made his way through the Swiss Alps. During the first day, he went directly to Zermatt to ski, then spent the remainder of his week long stay in Switzerland wandering around the forests of the Swiss Alps.

“ _Isn’t it amazing? You can still ski here even if it’s summer!_ ” Tendou said with childlike enthusiasm. “ _I should totally come back here sometime! I mean, I got a bunch of awesome pictures here!_ ”

Semi smiled. “Are you going to show them to me?”

“ _Of course I will! You have to see them!_ ”

“Sure. Tell me the story when you come back here.”

“ _Oh, oh! I forgot to say, I also got you a Swiss army knife_ ,” Tendou laughed. “ _It’s a genuine Swiss one, haha. I went to Ibach quickly to grab one for you._ ”

“Really? You didn’t have to.”

“ _Duuude, I already got it for you, so don’t complain. Besides, I think it suits you_.”

“Mr Eita? We have a customer,” Anna said out of the blue, waving her hand in front of Semi’s face.

Semi covered the mic of his phone, whispering, “And where’s Nick? Can’t you… make him cook instead? Just this once?”

Anna sighed. “Sorry, but Mr Nick won’t wake up no matter what I did. And it’s such a shame he was on the majority of the comfiest chairs here, the poor customers.”

Semi couldn’t anything about that, so he’d have to cut off his conversation.

“ _Semisemi? Everything all right?_ ” Tendou said through the phone.

“Sorry Satori, but I have to go. There’s a customer and Nick won’t wake up. And uh, there’s more coming in so…”

“ _Nah, I’ll simply call you again another time._ ” There was a loud noise in the background, sounding like a train arrival. “ _Oh, the train to Zurich’s here. I gotta go!_ ”

With that, the line ended.

Semi stretched his his arms and shoulders, and prepared himself for the heat.

“So Anna, what’s the order?”

 

Semi’s life for now had turned into a routine consisting of going to work, talking to Tendou during breaks whenever the red haired man actually remembered to call — it took a week for Tendou to make a call — and sometimes skyping with Ushijima during the night.

It was different from what Semi had gotten used to during the last three years. The warmth provided by the company he had now was also way different from the moment he left Japan without a word to his parents.

He lit a cigarette and sucked the smoke, the tobacco’s scent calming him down. The weariness caused during the day was drained out by it.

Semi glanced at his phone.

No calls or text yet.

He unlocked it and checked his Skype.

Ushijima wasn’t online yet.

Semi tapped his finger on the table, waiting for anything to happen. He was getting bored lately, and he had already been to every single place he could access in a day or two — sometimes Anna complained on his increasingly frequent absences.

A message notification popped up on his phone. It was from Anna.

_mr eita go to sleep already_

Semi raised a brow. He glanced at the clock and noticed that it was already one.

_How did you know I’m still awake, stalker_

Anna sent him laughing emojis.

_dont forget i live near you i can see your lights_

Semi laughed.

_You go to sleep too._

_fine mr eita_

 

A month later he was met with a whirlwind again and Semi didn’t know what to miss — the peace or the boisterous new arrival that had been gone for weeks.

Tendou got back and poured him with souvenirs again. This time, he took in account the other oub employees and gave them at least one keychain from each destination.

“I thought you said you’d call,” Semi said as he watched the _I <3  Vaduz _keychain dangle from his finger.

Tendou scratched the side of his face. “I did call you though.”

“In the span of two months you only called three times,” Semi said. “First call, a week after you left. Second, a week later. Third, when you were already in London on your way here.” Semi pointed at his watch. “Which was around five hours ago and during the lunch rush.”

Tendou started sweating while the others laughed at him. Bastards, even though they surely didn’t understand anything.

Semi stood up and loomed over Tendou’s sitting form.

“Do you think that’s what I meant when I told you to _call_?”

“Uh Semisemi, I swear I won’t do that again!”

Semi huffed. “Make sure of that or the next time you come back here you’ll sleep in the inn.”

“Ayup, gesu.”

 

“You know Semisemi, I’m actually just planning to stay here for a couple days again,” Tendou said, flopping down on the sofa and leaving no space left for Semi.

Semi moved Tendou’s legs out of the way and sat down on the other edge. “Where are you off to next?”

Tendou took the soda can from Semi, sitting up. “Will this just blast itself in my face or something? Revenge?”

“No it’s not. I didn’t shake it,” Semi said, opening it to show Tendou. “Don’t change the topic. Where are you going?”

“Back to Japan. I entered a contest and won first place.”

“Wow that’s nice. What’s the topic?”

“It’s a secret. You can’t know it yet,” Tendou said with a grin.

“Fine.”

“Oh, also, I’m thinking about making you tag along.”

Semi nearly choked on his soda. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll come with me,” Tendou said, matter-of-fact. “Looking at how things are I bet you haven’t stepped a single foot on Japan yet for years.”

“How can you be sure of that?” Semi said, a little bit put off by Tendou’s words. “How can you say I haven’t been to Japan all these years?”

Tendou smiled awkwardly. “I still remember how you reacted to the photo album I gave you. And when I first talked to you, well I don’t think you noticed, but you already got an accent even though it’s your mother tongue, you know?”

“That can happen rather quickly to other people,” Semi said, but he had to admit he was impressed with Tendou’s observation skills. On the other, it was getting unsettling on how close Tendou hit home.

“Then the cherry on top is when I went around before, you know, when I took photos of the people. Even though I didn’t ask they told me a lot about you. They said the moment you came here you never left again. How are you supposed to give an excuse for that, Semisemi?”

“So what? Why do you care?” Semi said, getting annoyed.

Tendou looked at him straight in the eye. “Semisemi,” he said calmly, “you know why I care.”

“Would I ask you if I knew?” Semi retorted.

“Friends, Semisemi, we’re friends. Of course I’ll care,” Tendou said, still maintaining his calm.

Semi thought Tendou was one of the people who’d get pissed off quite easily, but Tendou proved not to.

But Semi still didn’t want him to barge into his life, claim to be his friend, and later poke around to know his secrets.

“Look, you definitely got some bad things regarding Japan, since you’re reacting so badly to it. I just want to know why.”

“You don’t need to know. You don’t need to waste money on dragging me back there.”

Tendou frowned. “You don’t want to see your family in person, at the very least?”

Semi gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. “Shut up, don’t drag them in this talk.”

Tendou’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Semi, are you on bad terms with them?”

“I AM NOT!” Semi yelled, taking Tendou aback.

Tendou swallowed thickly, before standing up and facing Semi directly. “Then you are not. But why do you still refuse to go back?”

“You know what? Fuck this. Don’t come near me,” Semi said, storming off to his room and slamming the door behind him.

He thought Tendou was somebody who’d understand even if he didn’t explain. Tendou was supposed to be good on reading people, so why couldn’t he read Semi right?

 

Semi came face to face with a frowning Tendou first thing in the morning. Tendou stood at Semi’s bedroom door with his arms crossed. Semi slipped through the small space and ignored Tendou.

A hand grabbed his arm. Semi slapped it away.

“Semi, listen to me.”

Semi ignored it. He was too tired to talk about it. He stormed into the kitchen and decided on eating only bread as he waited for the water for the coffee to heat up.

“Semi—”

“You’re supposed to be the Guess Monster, so why can’t you guess why I’m like this?” Semi said, scowling at Tendou. “Why can’t you guess that I want you to leave the topic? Why can’t you guess that?”

“I can’t guess because it doesn’t make sense!” Tendou said, raising his voice. He took a deep breath and calmed himself again. “It doesn’t make any sense right now, Semi.”

“It’s none of your business, that’s why it doesn’t make any sense, _Tendou_ ,” Semi said, looking away from Tendou.

He could hear Tendou mumbling to himself in frustration, but Semi paid no heed to him.

Allowing Tendou to freely come back to his place was a mistake. He shouldn’t have allowed him to stay after saving him.

Semi decided that after all, he preferred the peace that was there before Tendou came barging into his life.

 

Semi and Tendou exchanged no words during work, which made curiosities arise. Anna asked Semi what was wrong, but he just glared at her and ignored her.

She did the same with Tendou, but he only gave her a sad look and told her not to worry about them.

Anna looked at Semi once more, then she went away to deal with a customer.

 

“Mr Eita, what’s wrong?” she said. “You were the one who looking forward to Mr Satori’s return the most. So why are you not talking to each other?”

Semi puffed out the smoke from his cigarette, but not in Anna’s face. He looked at her tiredly, and sighed. “Excitement can wear off when they do something you don’t want them to do. I was wrong about him.”

“About which aspect of him are you wrong about?”

“I thought he’d respect my decision.”

Anna thought for a while, then said, “He doesn’t respect all of your decisions, though.”

Semi sucked in more tobacco smoke and blew them out again. Anna coughed.

“Mr Satori’s around, but you’re still smoking?”

“I don’t care. It’s my place.”

Anna frowned at him. Semi looked at her flatly. It seemed like everyone was frowning at him today. Was his and Tendou’s fight that easy to spot?

Semi snorted. Of course it was. It wasn’t hard to answer.

“Mr Eita, don’t you think whatever you two are fighting about, you should at least explain? Maybe clear up things?”

Semi’s expression hardened. Anna was saying the exact thing as Tendou. He blew out the remaining smoke in his lungs and crushed the cigarette under his foot, going back to the kitchen and leaving Anna alone outside.

Letting Tendou in his life was the greatest mistake Semi Eita had ever done.

 

“Semi.”

“Don’t follow me. Oh wait, you’re leaving in a few days right? So pack all of your stuff and leave now. Don’t show up at the pub tomorrow either. Go away already for all I care.”

Tendou grabbed Semi’s arm once more, but Semi couldn’t free himself from Tendou’s grip like before. Tendou looked at him sternly.

His expression was completely unlike what Semi would normally expect from him.

“Look, I get that you don’t want to go back to Japan, but at least, tell me _why_ . _Why_ are you turning down this opportunity, when you obviously miss your family?”

Semi took advantage of Tendou’s grip on him and pulled him closer, slugging him in the face.

Tendou’s grip loosened and freed Semi, who rubbed his arm. It had gone numb with Tendou’s iron grip.

Semi turned away.

Then he was grabbed and pushed down on to the ground, lying on his back. Tendou was on top of him and threw a punch at Semi.

Semi clawed at Tendou’s arms, drawing blood. He squirmed and struggled to get the other man off, but Tendou held Semi’s shoulders into place despite the pain in his arms.

“Semi, _why_?”

Semi aimed for Tendou’s side and jabbed him hard there. His hold on Semi’s shoulders loosened and Semi managed to roll them over. He forced Tendou on his stomach and kept him in a headlock.

“W-Why?” Tendou choked out.

Semi gritted his teeth and squeezed it tighter. Tendou tapped on Semi’s arm frantically, declaring his surrender. Semi didn’t release him immediately, but he did let go after a few seconds when Tendou was already close to losing all of his breath.

Semi remained on top of Tendou’s back. Tendou was wheezing, nearly choking on his own spit. The ground they were on was wet with Tendou’s saliva.

Tendou coughed, then weakly turned his head to look at Semi.

“Why’re you… going so far?” Tendou said, still panting.

“You’re persistent, aren’t you?” Semi said, glaring coldly at Tendou.

Semi could see Tendou clenching his fists.

“I just want an _explanation_ ,” Tendou said. “I’ll leave you alone.”

“‘Leave me alone’,” Semi repeated. “If I explain, then you’ll leave me alone. _Forever_.”

Tendou made a pained expression — one that Semi never really knew he’d see. Semi started having doubts of his actions — he wanted to wipe off that expression —  but then Tendou stood up and looked at him.

“Explain.”

 

Semi let Tendou into his house. It provided more privacy than the streets. He also passed some ice to help with the bruise already blossoming on his cheek.

Semi winced at the cold sensation as he pressed ice to a bruise he had on his own cheek.

Tendou’s expression was serious. He hadn’t said a word during their return to the house. However, the message was clear: _Explain_.

“I’m ashamed of myself,” Semi said. He looked at Tendou, whose serious expression got replaced by one of confusion.

“What is there for you to be ashamed of?” Tendou asked softly, eyes half-lidded. “You are you despite everything.”

Semi looked away. “If you think it’s because of my sexuality, then no. I’m not ashamed of that.”

“Then what? You said you’ll explain, so don’t prolong it.” Tendou was starting to get tense and impatient. Semi was also sure Tendou’s voice had some hint of annoyance.

“I went to Europe against my parents’ wishes. I wanted to explore cooking and went against them.” Semi looked at Tendou again. Tendou’s expression hadn’t changed. Semi continued, “I’m ashamed of showing my face to them again after ending up like… like this. I tooted my own horn back then about setting up a restaurant in Europe and didn’t even get close to it.”

Semi found the eerie silence too unsettling. He grimaced.

“It’s stupid, ain’t it?”

“Of course it’s fucking stupid, Semisemi!”

Tendou grabbed Semi by his collar, serious once more, but not angry. Semi gripped Tendou’s wrists.

“Let go,” he said.

“It’s stupid, ‘cuz you think there’d be nobody to help you!” Tendou yelled at Semi’s face. “You think you’ll be all alone in facing them again. You think you’d buckle under the pressure before you even see them.”

Tendou’s grip on Semi’s collar tightened.

“You’re _afraid_ ,” Tendou said. “But you’re not alone. I’m here, right? If talking to me can help, then talk to me first! I’m your _friend_!”

“You’re always absent.”

Tendou shut up for a moment. Semi had tears welling up in his eyes, knees buckling from being unable to stand properly.

Tendou’s eyes widened.

“You’re always absent. You hardly called. You try to leave without telling me, even after I saved your life and helped you. And because of that, it gave me an impression that you didn’t care. Do… do you think I’ll feel comfortable spilling my heart out to someone who doesn’t care? No.”

Tendou released Semi from his hold, not knowing what to do.

“But I told you now, so I… don’t know anymore.” Semi sighed. His chest heaved. “I don’t really know what to do anymore.”

Tendou simply looked at him, then he looked down.

“I don’t know either.” He then muttered, “To be honest, you’re so contradicting, too.”

 

“You know, despite everything, my offer still stands,” Tendou said, breaking the icy silence that had formed during dinner. “I’ve been thinking for a while and thought I’d do this.”

Semi looked at him tiredly, eyes puffy and red from crying earlier.

“You help me with my situation, I take back my earlier condition.”

“Then get packing.”

 

Two days later, they found themselves in front of Heathrow Airport. Tendou helped Semi get through the bustling of the place and got his baggage checked in. Semi didn’t pack much — Tendou said he’d only be staying for two weeks and Semi was going to tag along again on his trip back to the UK. Anna had her eyebrows raised when Semi told her about the trip, but she let him go with no problem. She also told him she was happy he and Tendou made up.

An hour or two, they got on the plane.

Then nearly twelve hours later they arrived in Narita Airport. They trudged all the way to the bus station and waited for the next ride to Sendai.

The moment they got on it Semi slept during the nearly five hour ride.

Tendou nudged Semi awake when they arrived.

They both stretched after getting out of the bus. Semi felt numb and still incredibly exhausted from the trip.

Tendou nudged Semi again.

“We’ll go to my house and rest there. Then after that, we’re heading straight to your parents. You’re facing them head on no matter what. Also, don’t be so contradicting with your attitude as you did with me.”

Semi nodded.

He took his words back.

Letting Tendou in his life was not a mistake Semi Eita had made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I noticed this fic hit fifty kudos. Thank you so much guys! I'm really really grateful you took the time to leave kudos. Really, feedback is very appreciated :D
> 
> And uh, I made a [tumblr](https://neroavan.tumblr.com/)


	10. Chapter 10

Semi gaped at the place in front of him. He blinked owlishly, as if trying to see if the view in front of him wasn’t an illusion or hallucination.

Tendou raised an eyebrow, going around Semi and observing him. He waved a hand in front of Semi’s face. Semi still didn’t respond.

“Hello?” Tendou said. “Is anyone in there?” he knocked on Semi’s head.

“W-Wha?” Semi said. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“You weren’t responding,” Tendou said, matter-of-fact. “Are you so awed by my house that you lost your ability of speech?”

Tendou hit on point again. Semi sighed. While he remembered Tendou saying he was rich, he didn’t expect him to be  _ that _ rich.

A large, intricately designed gate stood proudly in front of them, already opened to grant Tendou and Semi passage. Behind it was a large mansion, fancy decors and stuff. The place radiated and stank of money, and Semi was overwhelmed.

His family was middle-class, so he wasn’t used to stuff like that.

No wonder Tendou could afford flying so much.

“What does your family do to make so much money?” Semi asked.

Tendou grinned. “Try guessing. I’ll give you a hint: it’s related to my job.”

Photography? That kind of industry was normally bound to have unstable incomes, and even if you were talented it was still hard to get really really well-paying jobs.

“I give up,” Semi said. He had a feeling Tendou would tell him the answer anyway, considering how smug Tendou looked at the moment. No use in wasting energy to think.

“Awww, it’s not that hard!” Tendou said. “My family’s involved in most businesses related to cameras. Geddit? Cameras  _ are _ related to my job. We have shares in major camera-related companies. Heck, we’re even handle stuff in films. The videocams they use? We provide them!”

If Semi were to be honest, he couldn’t handle Tendou’s smugness anymore. The guy just looked so proud bragging about his family’s assets.

Semi had no ounce of interest in photography, so he couldn’t really support Tendou’s claims.

Though, he was glad Tendou’s family had servants — they took Semi’s luggage and he was free to relax as he walked. A good thing about being rich.

“So, are you like, the heir or something?” Semi asked, looking around the place. Framed photographs hung from every part of the wall, both black and white and colored, in different sizes, and probably taken by different types of cameras.

“Me? Heir? Nah,” Tendou said, laughing it off. “If I’m the heir, why am I going around the world so freely? Our system’s pretty weird, to be honest. The heir’s the first born of each generation. In my gen’s case, it’s an older cousin of mine.”

“I see,” Semi said. So that was why Tendou had no care what happened to him in his trips. All he needed was to have fun and it was alright.

Tendou led Semi to a guest room, which was way too big and fancy for Semi’s taste. However, Tendou had told him there wasn’t any room that was simpler than that, so Semi had to settle for it.

“My room’s no better than this, so…” Tendou said, shrugging.

“I bet it’s filled with anime merch,” Semi said.

Tendou laughed. “Yup, that’s right. But it’s not the only thing in there.” He grinned at Semi. “Wanna see it?”

“Sure.”

And after an exhausting trip came another exhausting trip to Tendou’s room, as the mansion was so big and spacious it took quite a while to reach Tendou’s room. The hallways were wide and lavishly decorated with photographs of all kinds.

Once in a while Tendou would point out at some pictures and huff in pride as he described their stories. He’d mostly point out his own too. In Semi’s opinion, Tendou had a lot of his own photos on the wall, more than any of his cousins.

“How come you’ve got a lot of yours on the wall compared to your cousins?” Semi asked, after Tendou had finished talking about a photo of rose that looked so surreally beautiful.

Tendou grinned. “Of course I’m gonna get more hanged on this wall than them. We’re part of a company related to cameras, yet all them are only thinking about getting it for themselves. They don’t know the beauty of the world.”

Tendou pointed at a black and white old looking photo. It was of a woman, combing back her hair with her hand and tilting her head backwards, her head turned a bit towards the camera to reveal her face, partially covered by her arm. The setting sun behind her darkened her features, making the camera unable to capture them. Still, the photo transmitted to Semi something he couldn’t put into words.

“My dad took that,” Tendou said, looking at it fondly. “He was the heir, but he loved photography so much he gave up being the head. That’s how he met my mom.”

“That woman’s your mom?”

“Yeah. She’s beautiful, right? I got my red hair from her, and I’m proud of it.” Tendou grinned. “Thinking of it, I could’ve been born earlier and become the new heir since my dad’s the oldest of his generation, but he didn’t settle down early. The current heir was already born when Dad met Mom.”

“I thought you weren’t after the money,” Semi said.

Tendou laughed. “True, I’m not after it. But normally people would be, right? When I found out about the whole story I was angry at first, then I realized I might not have become who I am now, since my mom wouldn’t be my mom. I thought I’m lucky for having getting such a loving and caring mom, unlike most of my aunts. They’re horrible, pushing my cousins into doing everything to get the company.”

Semi mentally noted to thank Tendou’s mom. If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have met Tendou.

“Is she around?” Semi asked.

Tendou’s smile contorted into a frown. Then he looked away.

“Not anymore,” he said.

Semi had the urge to cover his mouth and not to speak again. Now he understood why Tendou wanted him to mend things with his own parents — Tendou’s mother was no longer around, and he knew the feeling of loss all too well.

“S-Sorry,” Semi said.

“Don’t sweat it,” Tendou said.

They were silent after that. Tendou didn’t talk about the pictures hanging on the wall anymore.

They reached Tendou’s room several minutes after. Tendou’s room was cramped, though Semi could say it was as big, if not bigger, as the guest room he was staying in. The only thing making it cramped was the amount of shelves with anime merchandise and camera related stuff. The walls were also completely covered in photos and posters, as well as the ceiling. The only surface that was not yet conquered was the floor.

“You did all of this by yourself?”

Tendou nodded.

“You’re amazing.”

Tendou nodded again.

Semi glanced at Tendou. He was silent, unlike his normal self. Semi knew he made it awkward, and brought up bad stuff. So he said he was going back to his room instead.

Tendou didn’t say anything. Semi went on.

Semi walked through the same hallways they passed through earlier, walking slowly to observe the sheer amount of pictures decorating them. Maintaining them properly must be hard, Semi thought.

It was a sight to behold on its own. It was basically a giant scrapbook filled with photos taken by the Tendou family.

Semi continued walking near the wall, still mesmerized by it, trying to guess the stories of some photos. He stopped for a while in front of the photo of Tendou’s mom, observing it intently.

A cough made him look away.

A tall man stood next to him, with large eyes that had large bags underneath them. He had pale skin with red splotches, probably due to sunburn. After some seconds of contemplation, Semi reached the conclusion that he must be Tendou’s father, but considering he was in the Tendou family mansion, there was still a chance of being wrong.

“Who are you? What are you doing here? Who’s guest are you?” the man said.

“Semi Eita, sir. I’m here as Tendou Satori’s guest,” Semi said.

The hard lines on the man’s face softened when Semi mentioned Tendou’s name.

“It’s been a long time since he brought a friend here that isn’t Wakatoshi-kun,” the man said. “Thank you for befriending my son.”

Semi was surprised. With Tendou’s personality and outgoing attitude, he should have more friends than just Ushijima. And he also looked like the type to bring his friends home.

Then again, Tendou might have just wanted not to flaunt his family’s wealth.

“I see. And it was Satori who befriended me, sir, not the other way around,” Semi said.

Tendou’s father smiled. Semi noticed he had the same smile as his son, albeit with a tinge of loneliness. Perhaps that very smile was the one that made Tendou’s mother fall in love with him?

“Please continue taking care of Satori,” he said, then he left, though not without one last longing glance at the picture Semi was formerly staring at.

“I will, sir,” Semi said as he left, and continued on his way back to the guest room.

And he really would. Not like he would stop after all this time.

  
  


“So, Semisemi! Are you ready to face your parents again?” Tendou said eagerly, barging into Semi’s room unannounced. Semi jumped awake from his sleep in a state of panic.

“W-What? What’s happening?!” Semi said, looking around the place. It took him a while to remember he was staying at Tendou’s place, and that Tendou was the source of the unwanted noise that ended his peaceful sleep.

“Breakfast’s ready, so rise and shine already!” Tendou said. He opened the curtains, nearly blinding Semi.

“Satori! Close them! My eyes are burning!” Semi screeched, scrambling out of the bed to do so.

Tendou laughed wildly, catching Semi when he stumbled in the process of getting to the curtains.

“Wake up already, or you’ll fall the whole time.”

“Fuck you, you disturbed my sleep.”

Semi’s stomach growled.

“Your stomach would disturb it anyway, so be grateful I came to get you already.”

Semi groaned. “Fine…”

Just like everything about Tendou’s mansion, the food was also lavish. Semi was impressed with the quality. He took notes on some of them, and was tempted to ask the chefs for advice.

“You’ll get the chance to do so soon, so don’t worry,” Tendou said.

Semi held his word for it.

The bath was uncomfortably spacious for him, though. Semi had never felt so awkward taking a bath. The tub was big, the space to shower was also big, the products looked expensive. In fact, Semi felt like a different person after bathing.

Everything was simply too much to take in for a commoner.

“Tendou… you should have given me a warning and some time to prepare myself,” he wheezed as he sat with Tendou in the taxi. Semi requested to take one instead of going in one of the Tendou family’s cars. It was too much and his parents would be probably surprised.

“Waka said he brought the topic up with you once though, so I thought you know already,” Tendou said, raising an eyebrow.

“He didn’t clarify the extent though! How do you expect me take in all of that immediately?!”

“Hmmm, to be honest, Waka’s family is pretty well off too, so I don’t think he’d be able to describe it in commoner terms either.”

“Just what the fuck is up with you guys? You’re all rich,” Semi groaned.

Tendou shrugged his shoulders. “We didn’t really ask to be born rich.”

“Still, what the fuck.”

  
  


Semi swallowed thickly as he stood in front of his parents’ home — looking more rundown and uglier than Tendou’s place, but still feeling more like home. His hands started shaking with his first step towards the gate, and when he tried to ring the bell, he held his own hand.

Tendou pried the hand away from the other one. “You’re not supposed to stop yourself, Semisemi. Go ring it.”

“It’s not that easy,” Semi said. “It’s not easy at all.”

“Take your time, but don’t think about not doing it at all. You’re here to do it, not to back out.”

Semi gulped again, hand wobbling in front of him. The sight of the doorbell started to look sickly, and Semi felt like puking.

He wanted to turn back and walk away. He didn’t want to ring it.

Yet as he turned Tendou remained behind him, preventing him from going away.

Semi was forced to face the button again. He didn’t want to press it yet — he wasn’t ready.

“I’m not ready yet, let’s go back another day,” he said and turned his back.

He saw Tendou opening his mouth to speak, but the voice Semi heard wasn’t Tendou’s.

“Eita? Eita?! Eita is that you? Eita! Don’t go!”

Semi was knocked down by somebody — his mother, he realized after taking a good look. He saw bags lying carelessly on the road in front of him, ones that Tendou helped pick up. Semi’s father stood frozen on the road, and Tendou helped him get on the sidewalk too.

Semi felt warm and wet sensations on his chest. His mother wouldn’t stop crying. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, sobbing loudly. His father joined her, kissing his son’s forehead and saying ‘you’re back’ all over again.

Semi felt like he was going to burst. His eyes were blurry. He felt like he was being suffocated with both the hugs of his parents and the emotions welling in him. The summer heat was unbearable, and the warmth of his parents’ was starting to get overwhelming.

“I… I c-can’t…” he gasped.

His parents released him abruptly, afraid they might indeed suffocate their son to death after getting him back again.

Tear streaks decorated their cheeks. Semi’s cheeks were no different.

“You’re back, Eita,” Semi’s mother said, smiling brightly, with all the wrinkles and such that she didn’t have before.

Semi’s eyes watered.

His mother spread her arms for a hug, and after a while of simply looking at her, Semi dove into the hug, crying,

He’s back, he thought.

And his parents were happy, not angry.

  
  


It was too early to say they weren’t angry. They scolded him about him leaving without a word for Europe, but even though Semi told them about not being able to really realize his dreams there, they weren’t as angry as he thought they would be.

“Are you happy though?” his father asked.

“Y-Yeah. I’m happy being a pub owner,” Semi said, a bit unnerved.

His father patted his back. “Then it’s alright. And you say you met this young man there?” He gestured to Tendou. “Can I at least know the name of the guy who had been taking care of my son?”

“Tendou Satori, and by the way, uhh, he’s the one taking care of me,” Tendou said, scratching his head.

Semi’s parents widened at the mention of Tendou’s name. So they knew of his family, huh. Semi wondered about just how unupdated he was.

“W-We’re very grateful to you!” they said to Tendou, who grinned and explained once more that it was the other way around, so he was the one supposed to be grateful.

Semi chuckled at the sight in front of him, then proceeded to look around the room. Not a lot of things had changed, it seemed, except for a few extra new photos and decors. Semi’s younger sister was already in her second year of college, and she already has boyfriend, judging from the extra addition in family pictures.

The only one absent in them was Semi. His heart clenched as he thought about that.

“Eita, what’s wrong?” Semi heard his mother say.

He blinked, confused, then the blurry sight he saw explained it, as well as the feeling of dampness on his cheeks. Another tear had trickled down, clarifying the answer even more.

“N-No, it’s nothing,” Semi said.

Semi’s mother gave him a heavy hearted look. “You can tell us what is wrong, dear.” She wrapped him into a hug again, in one that wasn’t as tight as earlier, but comforting enough. She rubbed circles on his back. Semi rested his head on her shoulder.

“I… I’m always the one missing,” he said. “I didn’t think about it before, but… looking at all these pictures… I don’t know. I feel bad, and I feel jealous too,” Semi wiped another tear with his hand, “I wonder, would it have been better if I never left?”

He felt his mother’s hand clutch tightly at the back of his shirt. She tightened the hug around him.

“If you look at it in another way, then yes. Maybe. But, would you have been happy?” she said, breaking the hug and clutching Semi’s shoulders. She stared at him right in the eye, seriously. “Tell me, Eita, would you have been happy if you never tried to realize your own dream?”

Semi looked away, biting his lip. His mother gently placed her hand on his cheek, caressing it.

“Eita, we’ve told you already we’re not as angry as you think. You tried to realize your dream, and found your happiness in your own way. What kind of parents are we if we try to take away our child’s happiness, especially when it brought good to him?” She gestured at Tendou. “He’s a good friend, bringing you back here.”

“He saved my life and helped me from thereon. Bringing him back here doesn’t even repay half of my debt to him,” Tendou said, smiling kindly.

Semi’s mother smiled at him, then turned back to Semi.

Semi’s father coughed, attracting everyone’s attention. “So,” he rumbled, “your mom and I are basically saying we’ve forgiven you. Don’t go feeling guilty from now on.”

Semi’s breath hitched. He did not really expect all those words. He expected more anger, more hate, and probably even disownment, for leaving seven years ago without a word and not even contacting them once.

It was all going too well for someone like him.

He thought it was too much to handle for him at the moment, but at the same time, the weight he’d been having in his chest just suddenly… disappeared.

Semi couldn’t have been more happy to have a family like this.

“Thank you.”

  
  


It was already dark by the time they thought about going back since both of them spent most of the day at Semi’s house. At lunch, Tendou said that he finally found out where Semi’s cooking skills came from.

“It wasn’t ‘cuz of school, it was ‘cuz of your mom!”

“Shut up!”

Semi and Tendou had been offered to stay the night at Semi’s parents’ home, but they had to decline for now since Semi had all his stuff at Tendou’s.

“I’ll spend the night another day, I swear. I’ll be back before my flight,” Semi said.

He rode in the taxi in a great mood. He felt oddly happy, and while it was uncomfortable at first, he grew used to it and basked in the feeling.

“See, Semisemi? I told you it’s better if you go and see them?” Tendou said smugly. “I bet if I have left you back in the UK you would be moping around the pub, sulking. Then Anna’s bright smiles would be dimmed. Also, stop puffing smoke in other people’s face. Anna and the others complained to me.”

Semi laughed. “It’s their fault, not mine. They made me want to do it.”

“Sheesh, that’s why you should quit smoking already!”

“Alright alright, we’ll see.”

The taxi dropped them off right in front of the gate. 

Semi noticed a figure standing in front of it. He squinted, trying to make out who it was. When he couldn’t he nudged Tendou, who had just finished paying the driver.

“Hey, who’s that?” he said.

Tendou looked at where Semi was pointing. He squinted for a while, perplexed, then his face brightened.

“Waka! You’re here!” Tendou said, bounding for the figure and launching himself at it.

“‘Waka’? Wait, you mean Ushijima?!” Semi said, surprised.

“Is there a problem?” the figure’s voice rumbled, confirming Semi’s doubts.

“Hehe, Semisemi,” Tendou started, “since you’ve been so courageous as to meet your parents again, I present you a reward: meeting Waka in person!”

“H-Huh? W-What?” Semi said, dumbfounded.

Tendou released his bear hold on Ushijima and gestured at Semi to come closer.

Ushijima held out his hand, saying, “It’s nice to meet you in person, Semi.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been several months since I actually updated. I'm sorry for leaving you guys hanging. I was in a slump. I'll do my best not to let that happen again.
> 
> Thank you for all the people who read and supported this despite all that, I appreciate it very much.

Semi seriously didn’t know whether he would be happy, surprised or confused. Wait — he was already confused so it didn’t count.

Then again, he didn’t really know what to feel at that exact moment.

“Semisemi, feel happy, I guess?” Tendou said, snorting.

The damn bastard, he really planned everything without Semi’s knowing. He didn’t even bother to tell him.

“Satori,” Semi said. “You didn’t tell me anything about this!”

Tendou laughed. “I wanted you to face your parents without any bribes, y’know? So I decided to tell Waka to only come if you have faced them properly.”

Semi scowled at him. “You’re bad for my health.”

“Why is he bad for your health? I think he hasn’t done anything bad yet,” Ushijima said, and Semi was quite amused by the genuine confusion on Ushijima’s face.

“No no, sorry. He surprises me way too much, that’s the bad thing,” Semi said.

“You’ll be giving him a heart attack one of these days, so you should lessen the amount of surprises,” Ushijima said to Tendou.

Semi had to resist the urge to laugh. Seeing Tendou sheepishly apologize to Ushijima was funny and interesting for him. Ushijima could obviously put Tendou in line. Semi mentally noted to ask for some tips later.

“By the way,” Tendou said, “let’s go inside? It’s so hot out here.”

They did go inside. Semi shivered from the sudden drop in temperature.

He rubbed his arms, trying to warm himself up a little bit. His eyes wandered around the place once more, still not tired from the sight.

Tendou and Ushijima continued on. Semi wondered if Ushijima’s place had equal grandeur to Tendou’s, or he came over so frequently he got used to it.

“Semisemi, mind if we go to your room instead? It’s nearer,” Tendou said.

“Fine. Besides, yours is so cramped I don’t think we’ll all fit,” Semi said.

“Hey! I clean up from time to time!”

“You’ve went three years without cleaning up once, Satori. It’s still possible to be very cramped,” Ushijima said.

“Waka! Don’t spill my secrets!”

“Ushijima, tell me all about them later, please,” Semi said.

“It depends,” Ushijima said.

So it wasn’t that easy to get blackmail material, huh, Semi thought. But it was worth the try.

It was great, if Semi were to be honest. He thought he would be awkward in Ushijima’s presence, but chatting with him the past few months over Skype actually helped him. The old him would be all jittery in his idol’s presence. Now he wasn’t.

He had to give Tendou credit for that. In fact, he wouldn’t have even had any contact with Ushijima hadn’t he met Tendou.

Semi decided he’d make good use of all the privileges he had right now.

“So,” Semi said, “tell me all about your high school days.”

  


Semi had imagined it would take shorter, but apparently Ushijima was the type to get nostalgic over the past. He had done more talking than Tendou, using up all of his visiting time.

“I need to return home,” he said. “Everyone would worry if I do not.”

“Aww Waka you can just call and stay over like you used to,” Tendou said.

“I have important matters to attend tomorrow morning. I have to go.”

“Oh. Sorry for making you come here despite all that,” Semi said. He did _not_ know Ushijima had plans.

Ushijima told him it was okay. Still, Semi felt bad for imposing on him, even though it was through Tendou and he didn’t know it.

“However, no worries,” Ushijima said suddenly, “as this will not be the last time you would see me in person.”

Semi was confused. Had his disappointment shown through that easily? And what?

To be honest it wouldn’t be surprising if he saw Ushijima in person again. Semi was staying with Tendou for the duration of their trip and Tendou was Ushijima’s best friend. For all the times Tendou disappeared from Semi, there wouldn’t be any doubts he had disappeared more times from Ushijima.

To have become an influential person in Semi’s life, Semi wondered if Tendou was the same to Ushijima, and if Ushijima felt hurt from all the times Tendou left him without a word or anything. The stoic man didn’t show much emotion, but Semi felt that there _must_ be something that happened between the two.

If Tendou involved himself with somebody for too long, even as a friend, then something must have happened.

Ushijima was much, much more closer to Tendou than Semi was, and Semi couldn’t help but feel like something _was_ going on between them. Based on Ushijima’s stories, Tendou was pretty close to their volleyball teammates of their age. Tendou was also best friends with the two other starting seniors back then, which, Semi had kind of overlooked as he admired Ushijima from afar.

Then again, Tendou was pretty much a jerk in his own way. When Semi rewatched the recorded Shiratorizawa matches, he noticed how Tendou could break the morale of the other team with a single kill all by himself.

That was a natural course of action. To win, you must beat your opponent. Tendou was a jerk, but he had to be one to win.

But it was because of that, Semi opted not to let him catch his eye. Semi didn’t like his style very much.

All the thinking made Semi’s head hurt. It was all in the past. The people he was facing were no longer their past selves. Semi had to move on and accept that he just came in now.

“Well then, Waka’s gonna be on his way,” said Tendou, a small interested smile on his face as he placed his hands on Semi’s shoulders, his face tilted next to Semi’s. Fucking bastard, Semi thought. Tendou was definitely interested in how Semi would bid Ushijima goodbye.

“Ushijima, until next time.” Semi held out his hand, which Ushijima took. “I look forward to our next meeting.”

Tendou hmphed, pouting. One point for Semi. He didn’t give Tendou the reaction he desired.

“I also look forward to it,” said Ushijima, ignoring Tendou’s reaction. “As for it, I think it will be closer than you think.”

Semi blinked twice. “Err… what?”

“Waka just wants us over for a while, ya know.” Tendou made it sound obvious. “I haven’t been back for a long time, and well, you’re his fan and now friend and you’re with me so you can tag along.”

“Oh.”

“It’s rare for him to invite people over. Be happy.” Tendou patted Semi on the shoulder.

“It is as Satori said earlier. However, it is not true that I invite people rarely. There are people who are at my house frequently.”

Tendou cackled. “Inviting people over is not the same as people letting themselves in.” He then looked at Semi. “Bokuto’s the ringleader. Bit jealous of Waka I say.”

Semi could see perfectly why Bokuto would feel that way. Ushijima was hailed as one of the top three volleyball aces of Japan right now, while Bokuto still remained in the top five. It was the same as in high school.

“You said ringleader,” said Semi. “Who are his accomplices?”

Tendou scratched his chin. “Kuroo and anyone else they drag in their wake.”

Semi arched a brow. “Hey Ushijima, aren’t you bothered by that?”

Ushijima looked up from tying his shoelaces. “No, not really. Akaashi keeps them in check. Konoha always contacts him whenever I mention the two being at my house.”

“How responsible,” Semi commented. “Satori, you can learn a thing or two from Akaashi about responsibility and control.”

Tendou laughed him off. “I think I won’t change that part of myself.”

Semi widened his eyes a bit, remembering that it was the small, careless part of Tendou that led them to meet each other. He looked at Ushijima, who he saw freeze up for a second in the corner of his eye. Was Tendou’s carelessness the reason for why they were like that now, too?

Ushijima regained his composure easily, and Semi couldn’t detect a hint of the man’s earlier surprise anymore. He stepped out of the door, this time _really_ getting on his way. He waved curtly at them, before walking away into the night silently.

Tendou shut the door behind them. He had a smile on his face, but it didn’t look like any of the smiles Semi knew.

“Did I bring up memories?” Semi asked.

Tendou’s smile disappeared, pursing his lips instead. His eyebrows scrunched up, his hand on his chin, and he closed his eyes.

“Yeah, you did,” he said after a while, opening his eyes. “But no worries, they were one of the best memories I have.”

  


Ushijima’s place was not something that Semi expected.

Scratch that. Semi didn’t know Ushijima meant his place in _Tokyo_. He didn’t know Ushijima was also offering them to stay for a short period of time while Tendou collected the award he came for.

It was a large apartment, with those large windows where you could look down on the city with no problem, and people wouldn’t see you. Semi thought it was a place too big for a single person.

“How many times have I told you to find a smaller place?” Tendou said as he made himself home on the couch. “Find a nice, smaller place, and pay less. You may be rich, but I’m not living here anymore, am I?”

“It’s close to the training grounds. That is why I remained here.”

Semi could hear their voices cracking a bit. It wasn’t easily noted, but if one listened to them closely, they would be able to hear it.

They continued talking, a bit of reminiscing here and some questions to Semi’s way. Semi looked around the place. It was sparsely decorated. Perhaps when Tendou was living there, it was him who covered the rest of the space with his own stuff.

There were pictures hanging from the walls. Judging from the style Semi could say it was Tendou who took them. Semi’s eyes were drawn in by the soft colors of the pictures. They were of flowers, volleyball courts, there was even one of volleyball shoes. They were everything Ushijima liked.

At the end of the row, Semi noticed a photo of a pressed flower. He approached it, taking a closer look, and realized it was a _real_ pressed flower. It was violet in color, and it wasn’t something Semi was familiar with.

“What’s this flower called?” he asked Tendou, who was casually playing games on his phone as Ushijima went to the kitchen.

“Oh, that one? I think that’s called katakago,” Tendou said. “Hey Waka, the flower my grandma gave you, it’s called katakago, right?”

Ushijima went out of the kitchen with snacks and drinks in hand, placing them on the center table. He looked at the flower Semi was looking at, and nodded.

“It was a gift, so I preserved it,” he said.

That made sense for Semi. He didn’t see anything special in the flower. It merely intrigued him. Why did Ushijima keep a pressed flower along with the rest of the photos? Now he had the answer.

“I will not be surprised nor offended if you do not think it is special,” Ushijima said. “Even I know it does not look that way, but it does have something interesting.”

There was a small genuine smile on his face. Semi could tell because they were small crinkles around Ushijima’s eyes. The flower was nothing special to Semi, but it was to Ushijima.

“Do you know that the katakago flower grows very slowly? And it takes a long time to bloom too?”

“How long?”

“It can take up to ten years.”

Semi’s jaw nearly dropped. “Really?”

“Haha, Waka received it as a seed, ya know?” Tendou said amusedly. “Imagine having to throw away a wilted flower you’ve taken care of for ten years. I myself would preserve it if possible.”

“But you do not have the patience or time to take care of one,” Ushijima said, matter-of-fact.

“You didn’t have time when you took care of it. You had to _make_ time.”

“I like to take care of my gifts.”

Semi chuckled at their conversation. Despite everything Tendou was saying, he found it interesting too.

After all, Semi found a photo of the flower when it was still in a pot, and below it was the certificate that it won.

He thought it was a nice combination. Ushijima took care of it for ten years, while Tendou made sure they could remember all the hard work Ushijima had put into it. There were photos for each stage. Semi wanted to think that maybe, just _maybe_ , Ushijima tried to give Tendou a reason to come back each year safely, even if it seemed mundane.

If that was the case, then what was the reason Tendou visited Semi every once in a while?

Semi knew Tendou’s relationship with Ushijima was close enough to have him come back every year at the very least, to have him know about most things Tendou wouldn’t let anyone else know. Semi felt a pang in his chest thinking about that, but he had to brush it off.

“When does the ceremony start?” Ushijima asked Tendou.

Tendou scratched his chin. “Around eight in the evening. You planning to come? I’m having Semisemi come with me too.”

“I’m sorry. I have work at that hour.” Ushijima sounded disappointed at his schedule.

Tendou shifted his gaze from his phone to Ushijima, then to Semi. “Then, Semisemi, take lots of photos for him, okay?”

“Sure,” Semi said. “You lending me one of your cameras?”

“Haha, of course! They take better ones than phones, you know that!”

“Beginners can take shittier photos with them.”

“Practice makes perfect, Semisemi, so…”

Tendou rummaged through his bags, taking out a camera with all delicacy in the world. He handed it to Semi, saying, “Now start!”

Semi thought he didn’t hear it properly. “Wait, what?”

“Waka and I are modelling for ya, so start taking pics! We’ll pretend you aren’t there,” Tendou said playfully, patting Semi’s shoulder.

Semi looked at Ushijima, hoping the man could help him, but unfortunately he was sitting as if he was ready to pose, or start pretending to have a conversation. Tendou plopped down on the space next to him, with the same posture, and Semi had no more ways to get out of it.

“Fine, but don’t complain if they come out bad.”

“Haha, Waka’s good looks can make up for them though so no prob!”

Needless to say, Tendou’s word was false that night. Semi took some really bad photos here and there, so he had to sit through a night of lecture from Tendou.

  


“I’m really sorry for having you stay up with us, Ushijima,” Semi said. It was the crack of dawn, and Semi could see why Tendou eventually got used to waking up so early despite sleeping so late. Even Semi was woken up at the same time.

Ushijima had said it was so they knew he left, and if they wanted to, they could do anything as long as it didn’t disrupt his place.

Semi made breakfast for them. It didn’t feel right to be mooching off so freely — well, that was his case. Tendou had no problem.

“It is delicious,” Ushijima said to Semi. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to.”

Semi smiled. “Like I told you, I don’t mind. I make breakfast for lots of other people everyday, and with the trip I haven’t been able to, so this is a nice small return to routine.”

“Besides, I think it’s a good idea to have somebody else make you breakfast, Waka,” Tendou said. “You’re so independent. Appreciate others a little bit more.”

“Hmmm. I see.”

Both of them asked for seconds. Semi felt warm when they did. It was nice.

Ushijima left after eating for his run, then heading straight to practice. Tendou dragged Semi once more into his picture taking practice sessions. They went to the park near the complex, despite the sweltering heat.

Tendou wouldn’t stop complaining about it, but nonetheless he refused to go back to the cool apartment.

“Why do you want to do it outside so much?” Semi asked, as he took a photo of a scowling Tendou sitting on a bench. Sweat oozed out of him like waterfalls, and Semi had the feeling they would have to get back sooner than Tendou had planned. Even Semi couldn’t bear the heat anymore. If it wasn’t for the camera strap around his neck, he was sure he would have gotten sunburned.

“It’s nice out here.” Tendou fanned himself as Semi took another picture. “Plus I want you to see the difference in lighting. Sometimes the lighting inside can rival daylight, but other times it can be as dim as in the apartment. Well, we set it to dim for practice too.”

He stood up, taking the camera from Semi without removing the strap around Semi’s neck. He browsed through the photos quickly, his trained eye knowing what was wrong and right at first glance. Semi didn’t have much time to assess what he took.

“Here, you should change the focus point in this case. It’s so bright out here yet you can see I’m quite dark in this one.” Tendou lightly tapped the screen. “Remember that with dim lighting this is much more likely to happen.”

“Okay, I’ll take note of that,” Semi said. He raised his head to look at Tendou, but then he was taken aback by how close they were. He took a sudden step back, surprising Tendou and making him let go of the camera.

“Woah! Don’t surprise me like that!” Tendou exclaimed. “Good thing it’s hanging around your neck or else I would be making you pay for it right now!”

Semi’s face, which was already flushed from the heat, flushed even more. “Y-Yeah… Sorry.”

Tendou raised an eyebrow. “Are you okay?” He leaned in, pressing the back of his hand on Semi’s forehead. “We should get back if the heat’s getting to you. I need you in good shape for later.”

Tendou started going back, with Semi following without a word. He was starting to genuinely feel dizzy, not used to the difference in temperature and climate.

He collapsed on the sofa the moment they got back.

  


Tendou woke him up two hours before the ceremony started in order to get ready. He lent Semi some of his clothes, since Semi didn’t have any formal wear with him, and while they were a little bit big, they weren’t too big for him.

As Tendou expected, he won the grand prize.

Semi took good photos this time, which was quite hard considering that he felt like Tendou was surrounding him the whole time.

  


The following day, befitting Tendou’s style of short-term stays, Semi and Tendou were at Narita Airport once again. Ushijima brought them there, since he didn’t have practice or work at four in the morning. Semi bade farewell to Ushijima like a normal friend, not a fan reluctant to leave his idol. That meant ‘goodbye’s and ‘take care’s and waves.

When it was Tendou’s turn, Semi didn’t expect it.

Sleepy and groggy as he was, he was yawning, resting against the pillar, and thought he was seeing things.

Ushijima pulled Tendou closer for a short kiss, murmuring ‘Come back safe’ against Tendou’s lips. After that he turned to Semi and said a final ‘goodbye’ before making the two of them enter the airport.

If it wasn’t for Tendou’s face matching his hair, Semi would have never believed he saw it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda feel like a jerk for doing this, but I can't apologize since I did it willingly. Btw, only a little bit more left!

The kiss wouldn’t stop nagging Semi on the way back.

It wouldn’t, no matter how much Semi tried to tell himself it was none of his business.

He thought Tendou and Ushijima _had_ something, like an event that made them the way they were now. Semi was thinking differently, interpreting the tiny hints he picked up in a whole different way than what they truly meant.

Ushijima’s fondness for Tendou. Tendou’s reflex to talk about what happened in his life more with Ushijima. The tenderness in their actions whenever they had time together, whether in flesh or through a digital screen.

Semi felt like an idiot not noticing that they _had a romantic relationship_.

Ushijima’s kiss was not a Western gesture of greeting. He wasn’t the type to do so, nor was the situation appropriate. It was a quick brush against the lips, a gesture that would leave one longing for more. Words were murmured against them after that, words of longing, in what Semi thought was the most heartbreaking tone he ever heard.

He felt like an idiot, when he saw Tendou flush at the gesture, eyes chasing after Ushijima when the man left them behind after making them go inside the airport, never looking back. Semi caught a glimpse of his face before he hailed a cab to go back to place that would be once more empty.

It was a only for a fleeting moment, but his lips were pursed tightly, forehead creased, eyes nearly watering.

He didn’t want to let Tendou go again.

Semi wondered just how many times did Ushijima do that? Did he beg Tendou not to leave before?

What did they have now?

Tendou didn’t seem to be a person who wanted to be shackled down in his life. Ushijima was the type who’d do everything to make people important to him happy.

Ushijima said that Tendou left for very long periods of time. If one had somebody waiting for them, wouldn’t they want to go home to that person as soon as possible?

To Semi, it seemed like Tendou wasn’t doing that. Were they over, being close friends instead?

The question remained stuck in his throat during the trip. Everytime he thought he had the opportunity to ask Tendou, he would choke back on the words.

He tried to think about different things instead.

It went to his family.

Semi sighed, partially amused on how Tendou had influenced him subconsciously. He promised his parents that he would visit again before his flight, but there he was, on the plane already. The only difference was that he left no hoodie in his parent’s home, but a broken promise.

Though, he swore he would call them the moment he got back to his place in the UK. The fear he had in contacting them was already gone, replaced by an intense desire to see them again, even if it was through a screen.

For the first time in years, he yearned to go back as soon as he could.

He owed it to Tendou.

  


“A client! Semisemi, I knew winning the contest would bring me more clients!” Tendou cheered as he sauntered into Semi’s kitchen in boxers and no shame. Semi was still feeling sleepy from the jet lag, but Tendou recovered almost immediately.

“Isn’t that your usual routine though?” Semi said, rummaging through his brain for any past mentions.

“Yup, but c’mon, I’ve got clients again!” Tendou scrolled down his laptop while waiting for Semi to finish cooking. “I like wandering freely, but I’d like to be given some kind of topics once in a while too!”

“Hmm? So when are you leaving?” Semi dropped two eggs on the plate and pushed it towards Tendou.

“One’s enough for me for now, I’ll leave the other one for you.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll leave in two days.”

Semi paused. “Isn’t that too early?”

Tendou looked at him, the toast he made halfway to his mouth, then shrugged. “Nah, not really. Staying for long periods of time isn’t my forte. I’m even surprised I’ve been staying over here for so long.”

“I don’t really mind.” Semi sipped the coffee that had finished brewing, waking up his brain. Then everything he wanted to ask came back to him.

“I’m in _your_ debt, Semisemi, and I don’t think I can even pay you back in this lifetime. The accident’s trivial to other people, but it’s not for me. I’m overstaying. I may be working for you once in a while, but I’ve been freeloading for the rest.”

Semi placed a fresh batch of toast on the plate in front of them. Tendou sighed as he took one.

“Look, I’m taking what you cooked for free.”

Semi gave him a deadpanned look. “Do you really think I’m someone who’d let something like that get away?”

Tendou’s brows scrunched up. “No. Why?”

Semi shrugged his shoulders. “Exactly. I’m letting you do as you mostly please because I don’t mind.”

Tendou snorted. “Oho? And why is that?”

“Because I care about you.”

Tendou choked on his coffee. Semi rubbed his back, helping him stop coughing.

“What are you saying all of a sudden?” Tendou said, an eyebrow raised skeptically.

Semi scratched the back of his neck, his cheeks turning pink. “I...I’ve been thinking… And, well, I’ve had something I wanted to ask you for quite a while so…”

He took a deep breath, then looked at Tendou directly in the eye.

“Are you still dating Ushijima?

That was it. There was no turning back for Semi. It was the start of what could possibly destroy the friendship between them.

But Semi had been thinking long during the trip too. It wasn’t just about his family, but what he wanted to do in the future.

And somewhere along the way, Tendou came into his mind.

And he thought long and hard, and was even embarrassed of himself when he realized it.

He missed Tendou whenever the guy went on his trips without telling him. He got angry whenever Tendou admitted to doing something carelessly that could probably cause him some kind of danger. He got self-conscious whenever Tendou was near.

Heck, he couldn’t think straight when he wore Tendou’s suit to the awards ceremony.

And then there was the kiss.

Semi felt _jealous_.

And he was embarrassed that he felt that way, but now he had to come in terms with his feelings. He thought about it, and decided to confront the problem. Running away would only hurt him in the end; he knew it from experience. He wasn’t willing to commit the mistake with his family again.

He’d confess everything to Tendou.

Semi waited patiently for Tendou’s answer, who was speechless. Minutes passed, but Semi didn’t mind. He had the day off, and Tendou was leaving in two days. Semi had two days to sort everything out, and despite the nervousness welling up inside him, he knew he could do it.

Tendou placed his mug down, scratching his head nervously. He didn’t try to meet Semi’s gaze.

His head hung low, shoulders hunched. He fiddled with his fingers, confused, biting his lip. And his eyes wouldn’t stay on the same spot for even a second.

Semi knew it would make Tendou nervous, and try to evade the topic, but Semi _had_ to do it for _himself_ too.

If not, it would only eat away at him.

“Semisemi—”

Semi knew what he was going to say, and cut him. “I’m sorry, Satori, but tell me, are you still dating Ushijima?”

Tendou pressed his lips together, and Semi could see genuine nervousness in Tendou’s eyes.

“No.”

Relief washed over Semi. Then he took another deep breath.

“Then, was it all him, or are there lingering feelings?”

“What do you mean, Semisemi?”

“You know what I mean.”

Tendou looked away, still having the look of not knowing what to do. Semi didn’t mind. He’ll tell him.

“Why are you asking me this?”

“I told, I’ve got something I want to ask.”

“You’re already asking.”

“I still have more questions left.”

Tendou gulped, then he gave Semi a look of surrender.

“I’ve… got no way out, do I?”

His voice was cracking, and hearing it hurt Semi, but he reminded himself that he needed to do it. In two days, Semi was going to let Tendou freely decide for himself whether he wanted to go back to Semi, or forget him completely.

Of course, the latter would hurt Semi a whole lot, but he promised himself he would have no regrets.

“No, you don’t,” Semi said.

Tendou smiled awkwardly, settling back into his seat. His fingers tapped absent-mindedly on the table.

Then he buried his face in his hands.

“Yeah, I still love him,” he said, “but we’re no longer together. I broke it off four years ago.”

The first part of the answer hit Semi with a pang in his chest. He wanted to ask why Tendou broke it off, if he loved Ushijima, but it wasn’t necessary.

“I’ll tell you the whole story, don’t worry,” Tendou said, peeking through the gaps in his fingers.

“Thank you, and… I’m sorry.” Semi knew it was hard for him, and yet he forced him. He had to apologize at least for that.

“When we graduated, I immediately left the next day without telling him a single word. Then I got addicted to travelling. I loved him, so I came back once in a while for him. He kept the plant too, knowing I’d like to see it bloom one day. It hadn’t bloomed yet, you see. It hadn’t been ten years since he got it. But my returns to Japan became less frequent over the time. And… two years after I first left, when the flower finally bloomed, I thought ‘Ah, I’m only making Waka miserable, leaving all the time’, so I thought that maybe, I should break it off and make him unhappy one last time before he gets the happiness he deserves.”

“Even though you knew it could cause a different effect?”

Tendou chuckled awkwardly. “I loved him so much I couldn’t bear to see him unhappy. Everytime I left he’d do the same thing, the quick kiss, the murmur of ‘come back safely’... He still hadn’t got rid of them even after I broke it off. And part of me wanted to indulge in the love he continues to give me so I could never bring myself to make him stop. I loved him that much, Semisemi… I loved him that much.”

“You keep on saying ‘loved’. What changed now? Don’t you still love him?” Semi asked.

“I used to love only him.” Tendou removed his hands from his face. He faced Semi properly, his eyes red and wet.

“Then you came.”

Semi’s eyes widened. “Now what do I have to do with that?”

He wanted to slap himself. The answer was obvious enough.

“I love Waka, but I love you too, Semisemi.”

Tendou was looking at him directly now. His lip was trembling, but he gathered enough courage to look at Semi.

This time, it was Semi who was being overwhelmed with nervousness and fear.

He had to swallow it down, he caused this.

“When I figured things out, I thought that maybe, I had the chance to forget about Waka. It even slipped back then. I was afraid you would catch on. You didn’t. I was relieved. I took advantage of it.” He smiled at Semi. “Now here we are, having this interrogation.”

Tendou continued to ramble on, but Semi could no longer hear him properly. His thoughts were swirling, his eyes unable to focus, he felt his chest tightening.

“—Semi. Semisemi. Are you okay?” Tendou was tapping his shoulder, looking concerned. All his previous fear and nervousness were gone. “Shit Semisemi, please don’t cry!”

“Huh?” Semi wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand, and true enough, it was wet.

“H-Hey, you can’t blame me for that! You were the one who wanted this!”

True, but Semi was _not_ crying because he was sad.

“Satori,” he said. “Is it wrong that I feel happy because you feel that way?”

Tendou’s jaw hung open, but no voice came out. His face reddened, and it was pretty hard discerning the line between his hair and face.

“So you weren’t keeping distance because uhhh… you picked up that there was a possibility of me dating Waka?”

Semi snorted in surprise. “What?” he said incredulously. “No! I was self-conscious that time! I realized I liked you, you idiot!”

Tendou had this weird grin plastered on his face, and Semi thought that partnered with the furious blush he was sporting, he was cute.

“Come here,” he said.

Tendou eyed him skeptically, covering his chest with his arms. “Don’t tell me… you have ulterior motives?!”

Semi burst into laughter. The tense atmosphere from before was completely gone.

He beckoned Tendou to come towards him again, and this time, Tendou obeyed.

Semi flicked his forehead. “That’s for thinking I had ulterior motives.”

Tendou tried to complain, but Semi brushed his lips quickly against Tendou’s.

“That’s for being cute.”

Semi had his forehead pressed against Tendou’s, having stood up since he wouldn’t be able to reach a standing Tendou’s face sitting down.

“Awww that’s not fair! Revenge!”

Semi felt himself being lifted up in the air. Tendou smashed his lips against Semi’s, before throwing him onto the bed with no delicacy and shutting the door behind them.

“The leftover toast is going to be soft,” Semi commented as Tendou nipped at his neck, leaving a trail of pink dots.

“You’ve got to be kidding me, talking about toast right now,” Tendou said, giving Semi an _are you serious_ look.

Semi laughed. “Yes I am.”

Tendou rummaged through the bottom drawer of the room as Semi undressed himself.

Tendou was quick at everything, his hands trembling while they held Semi. Semi couldn’t blame the guy. Even he was still unable to believe that his feelings were actually reciprocated, despite all.

“Satori, not yet. A little bit more.” The same nervousness was however, going to rip Semi’s ass. He wasn’t stretched out enough and Tendou wanted to enter already.

“Shit, sorry Semisemi—”

“Eita.”

“Uhh, what?”

“At least call me Eita in bed, you idiot. I feel all awkward whenever you call me Semisemi in this situation.”

“Oh sorry, _Eita_.”

And all blood in Semi’s head rushed south. Tendou noticed early immediately and chuckled softly.

“Somebody here’s excited~”

“Fuck you, you know who’s to blame.”

Tendou grabbed hold of Semi’s cock, pressing his thumb on the tip at the same time he scissored Semi open.

Semi clawed at the sheets, groaning. “That’s… not fair.”

Tendou, the devious fucker, decided it was the time to tease Semi even more. His teeth grazed Semi’s nipple, and Semi’s hands found their way into Tendou’s hair.

He pulled Tendou’s head away. “I told you, don’t tease me,” he mumbled.

“Spoilsport. Oh well, I’ll let it go for now and do you a favor.”

He pressed his dick at Semi’s entrance, and just when Semi breathed in, trying to relax himself, Tendou pushed in.

“Fuck!” moaned Semi, tugging hard at Tendou’s hair. He gritted his teeth, not expecting Tendou’s actions. He sucked in small amounts of air, trying to breathe despite the immense pressure he was feeling.

He felt Tendou gently wrapping his hands around Semi’s wrists and moving them down to the back of his neck instead.

“As hot it is to have you tug at my hair, I’d rather sport spoils of war like scars than bald patches.”

“You…” Semi was prepared to retort, then the devious fucker thrusted in _hard_.

Apparently, he remembered Semi’s sensitive spots.

“ _Eita_ ,” Tendou said in a hoarse voice that made Semi feel warm all over, “ _don’t think I’ll let you go for making me undergo that interrogation_.”

  


They did it several more times during the day. The morning after, Semi felt completely sore, while Tendou passed out next to him, snoring loudly. Semi had to find his earplugs.

And the morning after that, like promised, Tendou left.

“Look, I’m not going shackle you down, but I’m not going to expect you coming back as often as I’d like because I know you,” Semi said, as he made sure Tendou had packed everything he need for the trip.

“Damn it, Semisemi, you’re too nice,” Tendou said, covering his blushing face. “And uh… you’re like a wife, ya know?”

For some reason, despite all the love he had for Tendou, his blood boiled from a mixture of embarrassment and denial. He hit the back of Tendou’s head.

“Do _not_ say I’m like a wife next time, got that?”

“Alright, alright! I won’t!” Tendou said, raising his hands in surrender. Then he gave Semi a long kiss, one that Semi felt like he would want to melt in. “Now I have to get going.”

“Okay. Promise me you’ll call more often though?”

“Yup.” He grinned, bright like the sun. “See you again.”

Semi smiled back. “See you again.”

  


Months passed by in a blur, and Tendou completed the requests he had during that time. Semi suggested that he passed by his place for a while — Semi _wanted_ to have Tendou back, he wouldn’t deny it — but Tendou said he had to go to Japan for a while.

“I’m really really sorry, Semisemi! My dad fell ill sometime during the past week — I have to see him. I’m really sorry, but he’s the only one in my family that I care about who’s left.”

Semi’s chest heaved at hearing Tendou’s desperation. “Of course. I know how important he is to you. I hope he gets better.”

Tendou looked absolutely remorseful through the screen. Semi, knowing that the camera wouldn’t capture it, brought his fingers to brush against the image of Tendou gently. If he were there in person, he’d kiss Tendou until he calmed down.

He let Tendou tell him everything, and Semi grew even more regretful that he wasn’t there by Tendou’s side.

“So, Mr Eita, it’s now official?” Anna, speaking in English, appeared behind Semi and surprised him the moment Tendou dropped the call.

“What’s official?” Semi said, though he was playing dumb.

“Your relationship with Mr Satori. I had been rooting for the two of you since the very start, you know?”

Semi let out a puff of smoke, albeit not in Anna’s face like usual. He promised himself he would stop doing that, even when teasing.

He smiled at her warmly. “Thank you for that.”

Anna laughed. “Thank you for finally not blowing smoke into my face.”

“That’s your reward for believing.”

“Well I’m glad I believed. Now, should I tell Mr Satori of all the embarrassing moments you had here?” Anna smiled deviously.

Old habits die hard, so Semi blew a puff of smoke at her.

  


Semi frowned when one day, Tendou stopped calling him, or accepting his calls. He thought Tendou probably had no time to do so. He wouldn’t hold it against the man for caring a lot for his father. Semi would do the same had he been in Tendou’s place. He was tempted to turn to Ushijima for news, but he couldn’t bring himself to accept the calls, or to call him after making his relationship with Tendou clear.

He felt a bit guilty for stealing the man Ushijima loved, after all, but not guilty enough that he’d return Tendou to him.

He discussed with Anna about his visit to Japan. It had been eight months since Tendou brought him back to his parents, and they were nagging him to come back too, so he thought it was a good time. Anna choked on her own saliva due to surprise when Semi announced his plans.

“Boss, you used to be so afraid! Oh how much you have matured!” Anna said, pulling the other employees to throw Semi in the air.

“Quit that, you bloody fucker! I was _not_ afraid!” Semi said, despite knowing full well that it was a lie. He had to defend his honor and pride too.

“Good for you!” Anna was still chuckling patting his on the head, when they caught him and dropped him on the floor seconds later.

He decided to give Anna a pay raise for substituting for him during his absences. He owed the girl too much, and all he could do was to increase the income.

Of course she was on board.

“On second thought Boss, I’d like you to visit your parents more often.”

“I’d like that too, but I’ll be broke quickly and then I’ll have to fire you all. You want that?”

“For the love of God, it’s a bloody no. Don’t go too much.”

“I expected that.”

  


It was an absolute relief to be back in Sendai. His sister introduced her boyfriend to him, and after around an hour and a half of intense interrogation, he deemed him worthy of his sister.

“Nii-san! You’re becoming more like Dad already! I’m not a kid anymore!” she complained.

“I only want the best for you, you know?” Semi said. He missed it. He missed caring for his sister, his family. He missed feeling the warmth only a family could give.

He stayed a bit longer inside, then deciding to go out, maybe check out how Tendou’s doing. He hoped his father was okay. It had been a long time since he fell ill, three months, maybe? He decided to buy some oranges on the way.

His breath got stuck in his throat when he realized who was the one in the grocery store by coincidence.

Standing there, noticing Semi that moment he came into the fruits section, was Ushijima Wakatoshi himself.

“Semi.”

“H-Hello Ushijima.” Semi didn’t know how to face him, after months of ignoring him.

Ushijima was looking down, his hand stopping halfway while reaching for the fruit. It was then that Semi noticed that his eyes were red.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked.

“I suppose I haven’t made the matter seem urgent, have I?” Ushijima said.

Semi was confused on what he was trying to say. “What matter?”

“I also suppose that it may be because of petty jealousy.”

Oh, so Satori told him already, Semi thought.

“Uhh, so what is it?”

“Satori’s in a coma.”

Semi froze, his hold on the oranges slackening, dropping them. He snapped his head to Ushijima’s direction. He closed the distance between them, grabbing Ushijima’s collar.

“Why? How? What happened? For how long?”

Semi didn’t know what to do. His chest was tight with panic, fear, and worry. He should have accepted all those calls, he shouldn’t have assumed things, he wasn’t updated with the news, he should’ve—

“He got hit by a truck when his father accidentally crossed the road with the light red a month ago. Not once he woke up. The doctors are giving up on him already.”

Semi grit his teeth. “They better fucking _not_!”

“I prevented anybody from turning off the life support. Truth to be told, I was about to call you seriously to inform you of this, because you have the right.”

Semi felt _furious_ , despite the immense honesty in Ushijima’s words. He could’ve know about it earlier, and he didn’t.

“ _Bring me to him_ ,” he ordered.

Ushijima brought him there.

Semi’s hand trembled as he reached for the handle. He prayed hard for it to be a dream, since he didn’t want to accept it.

He opened the door and Tendou was there, lying motionless with all sorts of machines and tubes attached to his body.

Semi crossed the room in quick, long strides. He knelt beside Tendou, his hand trembling, refusing to touch him, afraid to find out that maybe, it was not a dream.

He caressed Tendou’s cheek.

It was not a dream.


End file.
